Istanbul: Pakistan Navy’s second Babur-class ship, PNS Khyber, was officially commissioned at the Istanbul Naval Shipyard, with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan attending as the guest of honor.
The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) confirmed that Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Naveed Ashraf also participated in the ceremony.
President Erdoğan praised the strong Pakistan-Turkey brotherhood and highlighted the importance of deepening defense production collaboration between the two nations.
Admiral Ashraf lauded ASFAT and the Istanbul Naval Shipyard for their contribution to the Babur-class ships, noting that naval cooperation strengthens defense partnerships and exemplifies the strategic ties between Pakistan and Turkey.
After the commissioning, President Erdoğan toured PNS Khyber, received a guard of honor, and interacted with the ship’s crew.
The two leaders also discussed regional maritime security and potential future joint initiatives. The Babur-class ship features advanced weapon systems, modern sensors, and a cutting-edge command and control system, designed to meet contemporary operational demands.
Under a 2018 agreement with the Ministry of Defence Production and ASFAT, four ships were planned: two constructed in Istanbul and the remaining two in Pakistan.
