Pakistan to Produce Al-Khalid-II Tanks

‘Pakistan has paced up work to manufacture Al Khalid II tanks while production of modern assault rifles is also in final stages. The country is also producing state of the art bulletproof jackets.’

This information was shared by the Minister for Defense Production Rana Tanveer Hussain while briefing the Senate Standing Committee on Defense Production.

The committee also recommended that the government expedite efforts for the construction of a shipyard at Gwadar.

The meeting, chaired by Senator Lt. General (r) Abdul Qayyum, also reviewed export details for FY 16-17 for Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC) Kamra, Pakistan Ordnance Factory (POF), Heavy Industries Taxila (HIT).

The meeting also reviewed the domestic commercial sales of POF, HIT, National Radio and Telecommunication Corporation (NRTC) and Karachi Shipyard.

The meeting was attended by Minister for Defence Production Rana Tanveer Hussain, as well as Senators Mian Muhammad Ateeq Shaikh, Nuzhat Sadiq, Rubina Khalid, Sehar Kamran, Brig (r) John Kenneth Williams and officials of concerned departments.

Officials of Karachi Shipyard and Engineering Works Limited briefed the meeting about the proposed shipyard at Gwadar. They said that a summary to set up the shipyard had been moved to the Prime Minister and the Planning Commission for approval. The panel was informed that investment from a Chinese partner was also available for the project.

The Committee expressed concerns that work on the proposed shipyard had been delayed for around four years and recommended that it should be started immediately.