China to provide eight submarines to Pakistan Navy

ISLAMABAD: China will provide eight submarines to Pakistan Navy by 2028 as four of them would be constructed in China while the rest lot in Pakistan.

This was stated by the Chief Project Director of Submarine while briefing the National Assembly Standing Committee on Defence during committee’s visit to the Naval Headquarters here on Friday.

The committee headed by Shaikh Rohale Asghar was earlier welcomed by the Chief of Naval Staff who thanked for visiting the Naval Headquarters.

The Chief Project Director of the Submarines gave a detailed overview of the challenges and future plans of Pakistan Navy.

He said Pakistan Navy had inked a contract for the provision of submarines with China according to which the friendly country will construct four submarines in China and will be supplied to Pakistan Navy in mid of 2022-23. The remaining four submarines will be constructed in Pakistan at Karachi Shipyard and these will be handed over to the Pakistan Navy in 2028.

According to a news release, members of the committee expressed satisfaction over the development made by the Pakistan Navy for securing the coastal areas of Pakistan.

The committee expressed the views that the responsibilities of Pakistan Navy have further increased in connection with the construction of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

The committee recommended that the government may provide requisite funds to Pakistan Navy for meeting its future requirements and to further strengthen the Pakistan Navy in order to face the future challenges.

The members of the committee who attended the meeting included Tahir Bashir Cheema Isphanyar M. Bhandara Mir Dostan Dhomki Ms Surriya Asghar Sardar Muhammad Shafqat Hayat Khan Lt. Col. (Retd) Ghulam Rasul Sahi Saeed Ahmed Khan Manais Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry Nawab Ali Wassan Syed Mustafa Mehmud Malik Mohammad Amir Dogar Sanjay Perwani and Muhammad Ijaz ul Haq besides Officers of the Defence Ministry.