KARACH, March 5: Work on building an F22P frigate started at the Karachi Shipyard and Engineering Works on Thursday.

Addressing the steel-cutting ceremony, Minister for Defence Production Abdul Qayyum Jatoi praised the shipyard for strengthening the country’s defence production capability.

He said that several countries had expressed willingness to buy defence equipment from Pakistan.

The frigate, being built in collaboration with China, is fourth in the series of F22P frigate construction project for Pakistan Navy. Three such ships are being built in China.

The minister said that Sri Lanka and some other countries in the region had expressed interest in buying defence equipment and machinery from Pakistan.

Mr Jatoi said the KSEW and related organisations had been able to complete all pre-construction work on time.

The frigate will be equipped with long-range surface-to-surface and surface-to-air missiles, torpedoes, automatic 76MM guns, state-of-the-art close-in weapon system, long-range sensors, radars SONARS, electronic warfare systems and advanced command and control system. The F22P frigate will also carry an advanced helicopter.

The minister hoped that strategic ties between Sri Lanka and Pakistan would not be affected by the Lahore attack.

Earlier, KSEW managing-director Vice Admiral (retd) Iftikhar Ahmed Rao expressed gratitude to China for their support for the F22P frigate project.
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