Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday said maritime trade activities were going to increase manifold with the growth in our financial and industrial base. It would create the need for additional capacity to support expansion in the maritime sector, he said.

“Pakistan remains committed to developing maritime infrastructure along the coast from Karachi to Gwadar to prepare itself as the future trade and trans-shipment hub in the region. MILGEM Class Ships will also play a crucial role in meeting our security needs,” Shehbaz Sharif tweeted.

About the launch of the state-of-the art MILGEM Class Warship PNS TARIQ, which is the 4th Ship of this Class and the 2nd being constructed in Pakistan, he said it was a major step towards self-reliance and indigenization in the defence sector.

The prime minister said the MILGEM project opened new vistas of closer collaboration between Pakistan and Turkiye and would prove to be an enduring icon of the bilateral friendship.