Launching ceremony of third vessel - a joint venture of Turkiye and Pakistan held

Turkiye will provide all support needed to strengthen Pakistan's military infrastructure, the nation's president said, Report informs, citing Anadolu.

In a video message sent to the launching ceremony of the third vessel of the MILGEM Ada class corvette – a joint venture of Turkiye and Pakistan, Recep Tayyip Erdogan said: "The production process of all these ships, which are equipped with the most modern weapons and sensor systems developed by our country, continues as planned."

The Turkish leader said the deliveries of the ships, which will be able to perform all kinds of military duties from air defense to submarine defense, will be made at six-month intervals starting from August 2023.

With an emphasis on the deep-rooted historical ties between Turkiye and Pakistan, Erdogan said the project is one of the most concrete and recent examples of it, voicing hope for the project to be "a harbinger of greater cooperation."

He said Pakistan is the country with the most strategic location in South Asia. "Throughout history, this region has been the apple of the world's eye with its ancient culture and wealth. Pakistan and its people have a special place for us."

Erdogan also emphasized the necessity of providing all means of support to strengthen the military infrastructure of Pakistan, "whose security, stability and prosperity we consider equal to ours."

The third vessel, named Badr, was launched at Karachi Dockyard in the Pakistani port city with a ceremony attended by Turkish National Defense Minister Hulusi Akar, Pakistani Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif, Pakistani Defense Minister Muhammad Israr Tareen, and other officials.

The other vessel of the project, named Kaibar, is to be launched in September in Istanbul, he said.