KARACHI: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will jointly launch the fourth MILGEM Class Corvette PNS Tariq at Karachi Shipyard today.
Turkish Vice President and Turkish Vice President Cevdet Yilmaz will pay a visit to Pakistan from August 1-2 and joint launch the project, said a statement by the Foreign Office.
Initiated in 2018, the MILGEM project envisages the construction of four Corvettes for the Pakistan Navy including two in Pakistan and two in Turkiye.
The prime minister earlier attended the launching ceremony of the third Naval Corvette, PNS Khyber, in Istanbul, in November last year.
The first two Corvettes, PNS Babur and PNS Badar were launched in Istanbul and Karachi, in August 2021 and May 2022 respectively.
The Foreign Office said the MILGEM project represents an enduring symbol of Pakistan-Turkiye collaboration in the maritime domain.
It is a tangible step towards self-reliance and indigenization and would fulfill the critical security needs of Pakistan Navy, it further said.
In July 2018, a contract was signed between Military Factory and Shipyard Management Corporation (ASFAT) of Turkey and the Pakistani National Defense Ministry Ammunition Production and Karachi Shipyard for the construction of four Milgem class vessels based on Turkish Ada-class design.
Turkish defence minister at the time, Nurettin Canikli, described the deal as “the largest defense export of Turkey in one agreement.”
The contract entails the construction of two corvettes in Turkey and two at Karachi Shipyard & Engineering Works (KS&EW). The contract has also provisions for the transfer of design rights and construction know-how from Turkey to Pakistan.
