Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Turkish President Cevdet Yilmaz jointly inaugurated the fourth MILGEM Class Corvette – PNS Tariq – at Karachi Shipyard on Wednesday. The ceremony was attended by Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah, and other officials from Pakistan and Turkey.
President Yilmaz arrived in Pakistan on a two-day official visit on Tuesday night and was warmly received by Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah and other dignitaries at Karachi airport.
The MILGEM project, initiated in 2018, aims to construct four Corvettes for the Pakistan Navy, with two being built in Pakistan and the other two in Turkey. Last year in November, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also attended the launching ceremony of the third Naval Corvette, PNS Khyber, in Istanbul.
The first two Corvettes, PNS Babur and PNS Badar, were launched in Istanbul in August 2021 and Karachi in May 2022, respectively. The MILGEM project symbolizes the strong collaboration between Pakistan and Turkey in the maritime domain, promoting self-reliance and indigenization while meeting the critical security needs of the Pakistan Navy.
The relationship between Pakistan and Turkey is characterized by deep-rooted fraternal ties, frequent exchanges at the leadership level, shared views on regional and global issues, and strengthened cooperation in various areas of mutual interest. The joint launch of PNS Tariq further solidifies the bond between the two nations and signifies their commitment to enhancing maritime capabilities and security in the region.
