KARACHI: The steel-cutting ceremony of fourth Milgem-class corvette for Pakistan Navy was held at the Karachi Shipyard and Engineering Works (KS&EW) here on Tuesday.

Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Mohammad Amjad Khan Niazi graced the occasion as chief guest. The event marked a milestone in the construction schedule for the fourth Milgem-class corvette for the navy.

Pakistan Navy has signed a contract with M/s Asfat for construction of four corvettes out of which two are being constructed at the Istanbul Naval Shipyard and the remaining two at the Karachi Shipyard and Engineering Works.

The corvettes will be fitted with state-of-the-art surface, sub-surface and anti-air wea­pons and sensors, integrated through an adva­nced network-centric combat management system.

Speaking at the ceremony, the naval chief said it was a matter of pride to witness the steel-cutting of the fourth Pakistan Navy Milgem corvette at KS&EW. It was a historic occasion as the Ministry of Defence Production, Pakistan Navy, Karachi Shipyard and M/s Asfat of Turkey had joined hands for construction of this corvette.

Admiral Niazi said the event was a defining moment to further cement the bond of friendship between Turkey and Pakistan, the two strategically-aligned nations with common values, culture and principles. The naval chief acknowledged the commitment and dedication of KS&EW and M/s Asfat for meeting the challenging construction schedule despite the ongoing global pandemic.

The induction of Milgem corvettes will significantly enhance the maritime defence and deterrence capabilities of Pakistan Navy. These corvettes will become a core element of Pakistan Navy’s kinetic response to traditional and non-traditional challenges and to maintain balance of power in the Indian Ocean region.

Published in Dawn, EOS, June 16th, 2021