Pakistan Navy has deployed its ship, PNS TUGHRIL, in the Gulf of Aden to ensure the safety of Pakistani merchant ships amidst the prevailing maritime situation in the Middle East.
The navy, in its statement, added that PNS TUGHRIL has been deployed to protect shipments coming to and going from Pakistani ports as the vessels navigate one of the world’s busiest chokepoints.
Pakistan Navy made it clear that it is well aware of its national responsibility to uphold a rule-based order in the region.
“In the same spirit, Pakistan Navy regularly deploys its ships on Regional Maritime Security Patrols and also contributes to collaborative maritime security efforts under the ambit of Combined Maritime Forces,” the statement added.
Talking to a local media outlet, Pakistan Navy Spokesman Commodore Syed Rizwan Khalid stated that the decision to deploy the ship was made during the Command and Staff Conference after taking a close look at the maritime situation in the Middle East.
He emphasized that the primary role of navies worldwide is to safeguard the sea lines of communications. The navy spokesman also highlighted the state-of-the-art technology of PNS TUGHRIL, capable of intercepting long-range missiles and saving other ships from any possible danger.
It should be noted that the ship was inducted into the Pakistan Navy in January last year, and it is equipped with HQ-16 medium-range air defense missiles, an upgraded version of HQ-7, in a vertical launching system.
