ISLAMABAD: The commissioning ceremony of the second Pakistan Navy MILGEM class ship, PNS Khaibar, was held at the Istanbul Naval Shipyard in Türkiye, with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan attending as the chief guest, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said on Sunday.
The Milli Gemi Projesi (MILGEM) or National Ship Project is the national warship program managed by the Turkish Navy.
According to ISPR, the Pakistan military's media wing, the ceremony was also attended by Admiral Naveed Ashraf, Chief of the Naval Staff of Pakistan, along with senior officials from both countries.
Addressing the ceremony, President Erdoğan described the Pakistan-Türkiye relationship as a close and enduring partnership. He termed the brotherly ties between the two countries “exemplary” and stressed the importance of expanding cooperation in defence production, ISPR said.
Speaking on the occasion, Admiral Naveed Ashraf acknowledged the roles of the Turkish state-owned defense company ASFAT, the Istanbul Naval Shipyard, and the original equipment manufacturers involved in the planning, design, and construction of the Pakistan Navy MILGEM ships.
“The Chief of the Naval Staff appreciated the deepening defence partnership between Pakistan and Türkiye,” ISPR said, adding that he highlighted how bilateral engagements between the Pakistan Navy and Turkish Naval Forces “contribute immensely towards strengthening Pakistan-Türkiye defence collaboration and reflect an enduring partnership.”
Following the commissioning ceremony, the Turkish president visited PNS Khaibar, where he was presented with a guard of honor and interacted with the ship’s crew, according to the military’s media wing.
ISPR said President Erdoğan and Admiral Naveed Ashraf also exchanged views on regional maritime security and discussed avenues for future joint initiatives between the Pakistan Navy and Turkish Naval Forces.
The Pakistan Navy MILGEM ships are among the most technologically advanced surface platforms in the fleet. ISPR said the vessels are equipped with modern command-and-control systems and advanced weapons and sensors.
The contract for the construction of four MILGEM-class ships for Pakistan was signed in 2018 between Pakistan’s Ministry of Defence Production and ASFAT of Türkiye. Under the agreement, two ships were to be built in Türkiye and two in Pakistan.
ISPR said the commissioning of PNS Khaibar marked the completion of the construction of both MILGEM ships being built in Türkiye, representing a major milestone in bilateral defence cooperation.
In a message shared on social media platform X, President Erdoğan recalled the origins of the MILGEM project, saying, “In September 2018, we signed a construction contract for 4 MILGEM ships." He added, “We delivered the first ship, PNS Babur, to Pakistan on 24 May 2024. Today, we also completed the delivery of PNS Khaibar, which has successfully completed all tests and trials.”
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