Observer Report
Islamabad
The steel-cutting ceremony of the first MILGEM corvette warship being built for Pakistan Navy was held at the Istanbul Shipyard Turkey on Sunday. According to Pakistan Navy spokesperson, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Zafar Mahmood Abbasi cut the first metal plate of the first of the four MILGEM Ada class corvettes during the ceremony.
Speaking on the occasion, Admiral Zafar Abbasi said: “The new warships will help replace old ships in Pakistan Navy and boost its conventional deterrent and defend its maritime economy and trade links.” Naval chief also met Turkish defence minister and other officials during the ceremony. On the occasion, Admiral Abbasi thanked Turkey’s Navy for their cooperation in key project. Turkish President Erdogan termed Turkey’s brotherly relationship with Pakistan as “exemplary”. Pakistan and Turkey inked the contract on July 5, 2018, for the construction of four MILGEM-Class corvettes.
Meanwhile President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan terming the brotherly Pakistan-Turkey relations as exemplary has said that great potential exists for collaboration between the two countries in the field of defence production. He was addressing the Steel Cutting Ceremony of 1st ship of MILGEM Class Corvettes being constructed for Pakistan Navy, held at Istanbul Naval Shipyard, Turkey. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Chief of Naval Staff, Admiral Zafar Mahmood Abbasi jointly cut the metal plate of the 1st MILGEM Class Corvette.
Vice President of Turkey Fuat Oktay, Minister for National Defence of Turkey Hulusi Akar, Chief of Turkish General Staff General Ya?ar Guler, Commander of Turkish Naval Forces Admiral Adnan Ozbal, Ambassador of Pakistan to Turkey Muhammad Sajjad Qazi, and other dignitaries attended the ceremony which also included the induction of newly built TCG Kinaliada, the 4th MILGEM Class Corvette, into Turkish Navy Fleet.
While highlighting the situation in Indian Occupied Jammu & Kashmir, President Erdogan said the world needs to know about the sufferings of the Kashmiri people. Equating Kashmir with Palestine, President Erdogan further said that over 8 million Kashmiris are living in an open-air prison in their own lands facing brutalities of the occupation forces with great courage.
Earlier, Admiral Zafar Mahmood Abbasi in his opening speech termed this project as another testimony of the Pakistan-Turkey brotherhood. While updating the audience about the situation in the Indian Occupied Jammu & Kashmir, he mentioned the toxic Hindutva ideology of India and the threat it poses to regional and international peace. He said that Indian brutalities have reached to new levels after the 5th August 19 illegal actions of the Indian government which are in contravention to the UN Security Council resolutions.
Admiral Abbasi thanked President Erdogan for raising Kashmir issue in his address at the United National General Assembly in New York saying the people of Pakistan and Kashmir are indebted to Turkey for its steadfast support. Chief of the Naval Staff also acknowledged the commitment.
