The launching ceremony of PNS Sahiwal Gunboat was held at Karachi Shipyard & Engineering Works (KS&EW) on Thursday.

The PNS Sahiwal (Desig) has been indigenously designed by the Platform Design Wing (PDW) of the Pakistan Navy and is currently under construction at KS&EW, said a news release issued by the Directorate General Public Relations (Pakistan Navy).

The state-of-the-art vessel will be equipped with high-performance, long-range semi-automatic guns, enhancing its operational effectiveness in maritime missions.

Vice Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ovais Ahmed Bilgrami, graced the occasion as the chief guest.

Speaking on the occasion, Vice Admiral Ovais Bilgrami appreciated joint efforts of the Platform Design Wing (PDW) and the KS&EW in advancing the Pakistan Navy’s policy of indigenization.

He expressed gratitude to the Ministry of Defence Production for its continued support to KS&EW.

He highlighted that the vessel will be equipped to perform diverse maritime security tasks.

He also stated that the Pakistan Navy is considering additional production of gunboats which would boost both the indigenization process and uplift of KS&EW.

The launching ceremony was attended by high-ranking officials from the Pakistan Navy, including representatives from MODP, KS&EW and the shipbuilding industry.