The commissioning ceremony of the second MILGEM ship, PNS Khaibar, was held today at the Istanbul Naval Shipyard. The occasion was graced by the presence of the President of Türkiye, H.E. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

Addressing the ceremony, H.E President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan termed defence cooperation as an important pillar of the Pakistan–Türkiye bilateral relationship and congratulated all those involved in the successful execution of the MILGEM project.

Chief of the Naval Staff of Pakistan, Admiral Naveed Ashraf NI(M), highlighted the exceptional nature of Pakistan–Türkiye relations. He underscored that the Pakistan–Türkiye strategic partnership holds special value for Pakistan and serves as a source of stability for the entire region.

The ceremony was attended by Türkiye’s Minister of National Defence, H.E. Yaşar Güler; Chief of the Turkish General Staff, Gen. Selçuk Bayraktaroğlu; Pakistan’s Chief of the Naval Staff, Admiral Naveed Ashraf NI(M); Commander of the Turkish Naval Forces, Admiral Ercüment Tatlıoğlu; Chairperson SSB, Prof. Dr. Haluk Görgün; Ambassador of Pakistan to Türkiye, Dr. Yousaf Junaid; senior officers of the Pakistan and Turkish armed forces; and diplomatic Mission.