KARACHI, Feb 24: The Chief of the Naval Staff, Admiral Mohammad Afzal Tahir, said on Friday that the third submarine Hamza would be launched by the last quarter of this year.

“A contract for building a full fledged war ship has been signed with China,” he told journalists at a ceremony to formally commission two fast attack missile crafts, Quwwat and Jurrat, at Karachi Shipyard & Engineering Works on Friday.

The chief of the naval staff said the programme of building the submarines would continue in future.

Referring to the navy’s increased responsibilities due to development of Gwadar port, war against terror and shortage of big war ships, he said some progress had been made for procurement of used ships, and expressed the hope that by the end of this year, significant headway would be made in this regard.

Talking about aviation, he said the P3C aircraft being obtained from the US would start coming to the country by the end of this year, maintenance work on the two available P3Cs had been started and they would be made air worthy by June.

He said in the changed maritime scenario, the navy’s undertakings had increased manifold and warranted development of a balanced force, capable of safeguarding their maritime interests.

“To this end, our Frigate Project has already been materialized which will….. commence soon with the Chinese collaboration in the region, Admiral Tahir said.—APP