KARACHI: Two warships, PNS Babar and PNS Hunain, are set to be formally inducted into the Pakistan Navy fleet on Defence Day, observed on September 6, as per a statement from the Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR).
President Asif Ali Zardari will be the chief guest at the induction ceremony, the military’s media wing confirmed.
PNS Babar, built in Turkiye, and PNS Hunain, constructed in Romania, will bolster the Pakistan Navy’s defence capabilities. According to the ISPR, the construction of PNS Babar began on June 4, 2020, and the ship was launched on August 15, 2021. It was officially commissioned on September 23, 2023.
The Pakistan Navy is inducting four Babar-class ships equipped with a vertical launching system, which enhances their ability to counter air threats. As part of a Pak-Turkey agreement, two of these ships are being constructed in Istanbul, while the remaining two are being built in Karachi.
Currently, three other Babar-class ships—PNS Badar, PNS Tariq, and PNS Khyber—are still under construction. These ships are designed to handle surface, underwater, and air combat simultaneously.
The 2,888-tonne Babar-class ships feature advanced vertical launch systems capable of targeting aerial threats, further strengthening Pakistan’s maritime defence.
In addition, PNS Hunain, a recently commissioned offshore patrol vessel (OPV), arrived in Karachi from Romania on August 30. The Pakistan Navy’s Director General of Public Relations (DGPR) noted that a ceremony was held at the PN Dockyard to mark the occasion, with Commodore Pakistan Fleet Vice Admiral Faisal Abbasi serving as the chief guest.
PNS Hunain is a multipurpose, medium-sized OPV, equipped with state-of-the-art electronic warfare, anti-ship, and anti-air warfare systems, along with self-protection and terminal defence capabilities. The ship was built and commissioned in July this year at Romania’s Damen Shipyard.
Vice Admiral Faisal Abbasi emphasized that the induction of PNS Hunain will significantly enhance the Pakistan Navy’s ability to safeguard its maritime frontiers. He also highlighted the importance of such multipurpose platforms in supporting Pakistan Navy’s maritime security patrols in the Indian Ocean.
The reception ceremony for PNS Hunain was attended by a large number of Pakistan Navy officers, CPOs, sailors, and the families of the crew members.
