As part of a program of strategic cooperation between the two friendly countries, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif jointly commissioned a corvette vessel for the Pakistan Navy.
According to the state-run Associated Press of Pakistan, Sharif said during the inauguration that the launch of PNS Khyber represents a strengthening of defense cooperation between the two countries. Sharif, along with a delegation of ministers and officials, is in Turkey for a two-day visit at the invitation of the Turkish President.
The launch of the ship, according to the prime minister, demonstrated the strong bilateral defense cooperation between the two nations.
The inclusion of the warships constructed by ASFAT Inc., a Turkish state-owned defense contractor company, will significantly strengthen our defense and deter foreign adversaries, according to Pakistan Navy Chief Admiral Amjad Khan Niazi.
The new warships, according to him, were very competent platforms with surface-to-surface and surface-to-air weaponry.
He said the warships were the result of a truly cooperative military effort and that they will be a great addition to our fleet, ensuring the safety of our (territorial) waters and meeting our defense requirements.
Turkiye was given the task of constructing four corvette warships for the Pakistan Navy as part of the bilateral project, two in Istanbul and two in Karachi.
Another account of the ceremony by the Dawn newspaper stated that the first corvette warship for the Pakistan Navy, known as PNS Babar, was launched in Istanbul in August 2021 and the cornerstone for the second ship, PNS Badr, was placed in Karachi in May 2022.
Sharif announced that the fourth warship would be delivered in February 2025 during the inauguration.
The new warships are 99 meters (325 feet) long, 2,400 tonnes displacement, and 29 nautical miles per hour.
Turkiye is one of only ten nations in the world that can design, construct, and sustain warships using only indigenous materials.
According to the report, Sharif made a pitch to Turkish businesspeople to invest in a 10,000-megawatt solar power project for Pakistan during the event, calling for the need to increase trade between Pakistan and Turkey.
News Mania Desk
