Good to see our defences are being modernised, and our ties with Great China are as strong as ever.
http://www.nation.com.pk/daily/Apr-2004/1/main/top13.asp
Pakistan may get 3 Chinese frigates by June
Pakistan’s Naval Chief Admiral Shahid Karimullah Wednesday hoped that Pakistan and China would sign a contract deal for three Chinese Frigates by June this year as Islamabad wanted to maintain a minimum deterrence vis-a-vis India. The Chinese Frigates (F-22 P) will enhance defence capabilities of Pakistan and the Naval Chief reiterated that Pakistan would focus more on transfer of technology through collaborative efforts with other countries. He said that Pakistan would also try to obtain helicopters from China and things in this regard would come under discussion during his next visit to China going to be held next month. “We are hopeful that Pakistan and China will sign a contract related to Chinese Frigates by June this year,” Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Shahid Karimullah said while talking to journalists soon after inauguration of Dr Aslam Uppal Hospital at Wah Cantt Wednesday. Earlier, during the inaugural ceremony, Chairman POF Maj. Gen. Mohammad Javed, different dignitaries of various embassies, high-level bureaucrats, MNA Ghulam Sarwar Khan and others were present on the occasion.
During his inaugural address, Shahid Karimullah said that no one could serve the nation without having good health. He paid rich tributes to the whole Uppal family especially Dr Imran Uppal for rendering valuable services in the field of health for the people of this locality. While talking to the journalists, the Naval Chief said that Pakistan wanted to make progress in defense advancement with indigenous efforts but without having a vast industrial base, it could not move ahead without making collaboration with other countries. Citing an example, he said that Pakistan obtained Agosta submarines with the help of France and efforts were under way to make further progress on this front.
He said that they would go to the Finance Ministry by end of April for finalizing modalities related to purchase of Chinese Frigate and then Defense Cabinet Committee (DCC) would be consulted on this issue. “I am going to visit China by May 2004 and we will try to finalize this deal as early as possible, he said and added that it was expected that both countries would sign a contract deal in this regard not latter than June 2004.
To a query about any security concern expressed by French officials, he said that the French authorities had inspected whole arrangements in this regard and they were fully satisfied over the prevailing situation. Without mentioning any specific country, he said that Pakistan wanted to look towards east for enhancing defence cooperation. The electronic equipment of western world is not suitable for this part of the world, he added. Answering another query about joint naval exercises, he said that Pakistan and Saudi Arabia had recently conducted joint exercises and some joint exercises were on the cards with other countries. We are planning to conduct joint exercises with UAE in near future, he added. He said that Pakistan would send its two ships to UK by next year in order to participate in their celebrations and later two ships would attend celebrations being held in USA in future. He said that President Musharraf was extending full cooperation for improving defence capabilities of Pakistan Navy. To another query about the balance of power with neighbouring India, he said that there were disparities in this regard and the ratio of balance of power between the two countries stood at 1:8. There is a huge disparity on aviation side and we are making efforts to maintain minimum deterrence with India, he concluded.
to the F16’s from United States.
from a far distance…