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Pakistan Navy to acquire Chinese warships
Pakistan Navy in a US $ 630 million modernization plan is to acquire a frontline Chinese warship and build three others indigenously under technology transfer, according to Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Abdul Aziz Mirza.
Pakistan Navy in a US $ 630 million modernization plan is to acquire a frontline Chinese warship and build three others indigenously under technology transfer, according to Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Abdul Aziz Mirza.
Declaring that the process of acquisition of the four
warships would be completed by the next decade, Admiral Aziz
said that procurement of warships from China would be
cost-effective in comparison with the purchase of ships from
other western countries.
The Pakistan naval chief was quoted by `The News
International` as saying that induction of Chinese warships
was part of moves by the navy to phase out British built
destroyers in a phased manner in the next ten years.
Aziz, the paper said also hinted at moves to develop
Gawadar port on the Makran coast in Baluchistan as an
alternative to country`s main seaport Karachi, which he said
was vulnerable to Indian warships.
The Naval Chief said that building of an alternative
seaport was also a must keeping in view plans to lay
gas pipelines from Central Asian states via Afghanistan. He
also said that Malaysia, Saudi Arabia and Qater had shown
interest in acquisition of French built Agosta submarines from
Pakistan.
Aziz also said that Pakistan would soon acquire a survey
ship at a cost of 70 to 75 million U.S dollars.
Bureau Report