Islamabad: Pakistan on July 16 began 10-days of war games as part of efforts to boost the professional acumen of its forces with President Pervez Musharraf asking troops to maintain "their edge over the adversary".

Pakistan Army, Navy and Air Force are participating in the "Sabit Qadam- II" exercise, the biggest ever undertaken by the country in the last three decades.

"The massing and deployment of Indian troops along the border has exposed certain vulnerabilities of the Indian Army, which were very useful in formulating various options," Musharraf said in talks with senior officer on the opening day of the war games.

"Pakistan armed forces have the capability not only to defend every inch of the motherland but also strike a telling blow on anyone who dared to challenge the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country," he said.

Earlier, ISPR Director General Maj Gen Rashid Qureshi told reporters that, "after the operational deployment of the armed forces in response to the Indian massing of troops on the border, the process of preparation and training of various formations was now culminating in the war game".

Vice Chief of Pak Army Staff General Muhammad Yusuf Khan, besides the Army's formation commanders and other top ranking officers, are also participating in the exercise.

Musharraf, during his interaction with senior officers, stressed on the need for intensive peacetime training for the Pakistan armed forces to maintain their qualitative edge over the adversary.

"The President appreciated the concept, setting and layout of the war game and stressed that it was vital for the military leaders to fully apply the lessons learnt and conclusions drawn in their respective formations," a statement of the Inter Service Public Relations quoted him as saying.

"The process of preparation and training of various formations is now culminating in the war game in which Pakistan Navy and Pakistan Air Force are also participating.

"The war game is designed to validate the existing plans of the armed forces and would contribute to the further enhancement of professional acumen of senior officers," it said.

PTI