Pakistan Navy and Turkish corvettes

Speaking at the launching ceremony of Pakistan’s 3rd MILGEM Corvette ‘PNS BADR’ in Karachi, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said that Pakistan is “the country with the most strategic location in South Asia.

“Throughout history, this region has been the apple of the world’s eye with its ancient culture and wealth. Pakistan and its people have a special place for us,” he said in a recorded message that was played during the ceremony.

Mr. Erdogan is a no-nonsense leader and Turkey stands behind the words he utters. Apart from the traditional concept of Pakistan’s strategic location, it is less known that the country’s coastline runs over 1000 km, its Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) is spread over 240,000 sq km and the Extended Continental Shelf is 50,000 sq km.

Since we hear no bad news from our seas, we take them for granted. Basically, Pakistan Navy (PN) is there on our seas to thwart the threats that come our way. They not only grapple with conventional enemy, but also with powerful drug barons. Last month, PN seized 1,000 kg narcotics valuing Rs 90 million.

Currently, the focus of global conflicts has been shifted to India-Pacific Ocean, from which over 60 percent of world trade is conducted. Developed countries like the U.S. and Germany have developed their policies for this region. India is gaining momentum by adopting its policy of running with the hare and hunting with the hound.

The threat to waters is as real as those to our border with India and Afghanistan, if not more. This is the reason that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif went to Karachi at the launching ceremony of MILGEM Class Corvette PNS BADR, ignoring the political turmoil that is being created in Islamabad. The ceremony was held at Karachi Shipyard & Engineering Works (KS&EW).

Our media tends to report from the podium and ignores the hard work that real players on the ground put in to bring a change. The Managing Director of KS&EW, Rear Admiral Ather Saleem, is the one who oversaw this development from the start. According to ISPR, Mr. Saleem was commissioned in Marine Engineering Branch of Pakistan Navy in 1986. His bio says, “He is a graduate of Pakistan Navy War College and National Defence University Islamabad… also holds Masters Degree in Defence System Engineering from UK. In recognition of his meritorious services, Rear Admiral Ather Saleem has been awarded Sitara-e-Imtiaz (Military).”

During the launch ceremony, he said, “PN MILGEM corvette is a testimony of our commitment to this national cause.” Chief of Naval Staff, Admiral Muhammad Amjad Khan Niazi, pressed that “our sea trade routes and vast Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) needs to be effectively safeguarded” and PN MILGEM Ships will play an important role in catering “operational needs of Pakistan Navy”.

According to the Pakistan Strategic Forum, these corvettes are being built under the joint venture MILGEM project between Pakistan and Turkey. Two ships were built in Istanbul, and two in Karachi at a cost of around $1.5 billion to the Pakistan Navy.

The Babur Class Corvettes are 3,000 tonne multi-mission platforms, equipped for anti-ship warfare (AShW), anti-submarine warfare (ASW) as well as anti-air warfare (AAW).

The agreement between Turkey and Pakistan entails Transfer of Technology clause which means that Pakistan is on the path of defence production independence. MILGEM is an acronym for the Turkish term Milli Gemi (National Ship), the ADA Class Corvette built by Turkish defence production company M/s ASFAT.

The agreement was signed in September 2018. These corvettes will be the most technologically advanced surface platforms of Pakistan Navy Fleet. They will be instrumental for regional maritime security patrol.

The corvettes are named after Mughal King Babar who was not only a warrior, but also a history writer. It is believed that his diary titled ‘Tuzk e Babri’, a Turkish term translated as Journal of Babar, is the first journal followed by the Victoria Diary of Queen Victoria. The lesson we may draw from this diary is that enhancing only war capabilities is not enough. Keeping record of these capabilities is also equally important.

It is not good to note that the Pakistan Navy has not yet celebrated this development on its Twitter account. The Turkish stakeholders including TRT World tweeted this development while it was retweeted by the Turkish embassy in Pakistan. And even the outgoing deputy commissioner of Chakwal has retweeted it.

Being the main party to the agreement, Pakistan Navy should have been the first one to post this on social media platforms. The act either shows lack of professionalism or a strategy to keep trolls of a political party away as they pursue their anti-state agenda on official Twitter accounts of Pakistani defence forces. In any case, these platforms must not be polluted by domestic politics as people of Pakistan deserve steady supply of good news about their defence. Pakistan must also thank Mr. Erdogan for stating that Turkey considers the security of Pakistan as its own.

The writer teaches mediatization at IIUI