The Pakistan Navy (PN) inducted its second Milgem-class corvette, PNS Khaibar, during a commissioning ceremony held at the Istanbul Naval Shipyard in Turkiye, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said on Sunday.
ISPR added that Milgem-class ships are among the Pakistan Navy’s most advanced surface platforms, featuring modern command-and-control systems, advanced sensors and state-of-the-art weaponry.
The four-ship Milgem contract was signed in 2018, with two vessels built in Turkiye and two in Pakistan.
Commissioning ceremony of the 2nd PN MILGEM class ship PNS KHAIBAR was held at Istanbul Naval Shipyard, Türkiye. President of Türkiye Recep Tayyip Erdoğan graced the ceremony as Chief Guest, while CNS Adm Naveed Ashraf also attended the ceremony. 1/2 pic.twitter.com/nnpRRYI1VD
— DGPR (Navy) (@dgprPaknavy) December 21, 2025
Addressing the ceremony, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan described Pakistan-Turkiye ties as exemplary and stressed the importance of further strengthening cooperation, particularly in defence production and technology.
He highlighted the shared vision of both countries to expand collaboration in critical security domains.
Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Naveed Ashraf lauded the deepening defence relationship between the two navies and acknowledged the contributions of M/s ASFAT, the Istanbul Naval Shipyard and original equipment manufacturers involved in the design and construction of the PN Milgem ships.
He said that sustained bilateral naval engagements reflect the enduring partnership and significantly enhance mutual defense capabilities.
Following the ceremony, President Erdogan visited PNS Khaibar, where he received a guard of honor and met the ship’s crew.
