KARACHI: The commissioning ceremony of Pakistan Navy’s second MILGEM class ship PNS Khaibar was held at Istanbul Naval Shipyard, Turkiye.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was the chief guest on the occasion. The chief of the naval staff, Admiral Naveed Ashraf, also attended the ceremony.
According to the information reaching here on Sunday, speaking on the occasion, President Erdogan termed brotherly relations between Pakistan and Turkiye exemplary.
Speaking on the occasion, Admiral Naveed Ashraf acknowledged the commitment of M/s Asfat, Istanbul Naval Shipyard and the original equipment manufacturer involved in the planning, design and construction of PN MILGEM ships.
The naval chief appreciated the deepening defence partnership between Pakistan and Turkiye.
Following the ceremony, the Turkish president visited the ship, where he was presented with the guard of honour. He also interacted with the ship’s crew.
During the visit, the Turkish president and Admiral Ashraf also exchanged views on maritime security in the region and discussed avenues for future PN-TNF joint initiatives.
Published in Dawn, December 22nd, 2025