ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and China signed a landmark agreement on Wednesday for construction of six patrol vessels for Maritime Security Agency (PMSA).

The agreement was signed today during a ceremony at the Ministry of Defence Production (MoDP) in Rawalpindi.

Documents were signed by M/s China Ship Trading Company (M/s CSTC) and the Pakistani government on behalf MoDP.

According to the agreement, four ships will be constructed in China with the remaining two will be built at Karachi's Shipyard and Engineering Works under Transfer of Technology.

The spokesman for MoDP said that acquisition of new ships is a step towards PMSA's capacity building by the government which will boost the agency's operational preparedness for protection of resources in Pakistan's Exclusive Economic Zone and fishery protection.

The spokesman further said that new ships will be used for maritime law enforcement operations against drug trafficking and illegal immigration.

Last year, the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) approved eight development projects worth Rs157 billion, including two signature projects of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-N – first phase of Pakistan-China Economic Corridor (PCEC)

The committee had also approved Rs13.87bn for procurement of six maritime patrol vessels for Pakistan Maritime Security Agency.