According to The Global Times, China has delivered to Pakistan the largest and most advanced warship that Beijing has ever exported, highlighting the two countries’ friendship.
The frigate, designed and built by China State Shipbuilding Corporation Limited (CSSC), was delivered to the Pakistan Navy in a commissioning ceremony in Shanghai on Monday, CSSC said in a statement.
According to a statement issued by the Pakistan Navy, the Type 054A/P frigate was named the PNS Tughril.
🇵🇰⚓️Raise Pakistani national flag and play the national anthem.
Commissioning ceremony of @PakistanNavy first Type 054A/P Frigate #TUGHRIL held at China.
The construction of PH Ship at China is testimony of #Pakistan-🇨🇳China all weather friendship. pic.twitter.com/lfuA2rMpvj
— Shen Shiwei沈诗伟 (@shen_shiwei) November 8, 2021
The PNS Tughril is the first of four Type 054 frigates being built for the Pakistan Navy, according to the statement, noting that the ship is a technologically advanced and highly capable platform with enormous surface-to-surface, surface-to-air, and underwater firepower, as well as extensive surveillance capabilities.
The Type 054A/P frigate, which is outfitted with cutting-edge combat management and an electronic warfare system, as well as modern self-defence capabilities, can execute a number of naval warfare missions in a highly intense multi-threat environment, according to a Pakistani statement.
According to the CSSC, the frigate is the largest and most advanced warship China has ever exported.
“The completion and the delivery of the vessel is another major achievement of China-Pakistan friendship, and will further enhance the all-weather strategic cooperative partnership between the two countries,” the Chinese shipbuilding company said in the statement.
According to a statement from the Pakistan Navy, Pakistani Ambassador to China Moin ul Haque said that the commissioning of the PNS Tughril ushers in a new chapter in Pakistan-China friendship, which has matured over time and remained steadfast in all domains.
Tughril-class frigates will strengthen Pakistan Navy’s capabilities to respond to maritime challenges to ensure seaward defence, maintain peace, stability, and balance of power in the Indian Ocean region, according to the ambassador, who also praised China for the landmark achievement of timely delivery of the well-equipped and potent frigate despite the global pandemic.
According to the report, the Vice Party Secretary and Director of the Board at CSSC Du Gang also praised the timely construction of PNS Tughril, emphasising that the ship’s commissioning is a major milestone and a testament to the China-Pakistan long-lived friendship, as both countries are bound by the affinity of trust, compassion, and commonality.
According to a Pakistani statement, the head of the Pakistan Navy Mission overseeing the construction of the 054A/P frigate, Commodore Rashid Mehmood Sheikh, stated that the PNS Tughril, as a multi-mission capable frigate, will form the mainstay of the Pakistan Navy fleet while bolstering the Pakistan Navy’s maritime defence capabilities.
According to CSSC, the delivery of the frigate is also a milestone in expanding the influence of Chinese vessels as products and increasing their competitiveness in the international market.
