Latest news with #Agosta90B-class
Arab News
04-05-2025
- Politics
- Arab News
Turkish naval ship arrives in Pakistan on visit to strengthen maritime cooperation
ISLAMABAD: A Turkish naval ship, TCG Büyükada, has arrived in Pakistan on a visit to strengthen maritime cooperation between the two countries, Pakistan Navy said on Sunday. Pakistan and Türkiye share close diplomatic, economic and defense ties. Turkish defense firms have helped modernize Pakistan's Agosta 90B-class submarines and supplied military equipment, including drones, to Islamabad. The two countries regularly hold joint military exercises, most recently the Ataturk-XIII drills, which involved combat teams from the two special forces and aimed to enhance interoperability between them. Upon arrival at the Karachi port, the Turkish naval ship was warmly welcomed by officials from both navies, according to the Directorate General Public Relations (DGPR) of Pakistan Navy. 'During its stay in Karachi, the crew of TCG Büyükada will engage in a series of professional interactions with Pakistan Navy personnel,' the DGPR said. 'The visit aims to enhance mutual understanding and strengthen maritime cooperation between the two navies.' The development comes at a time of heightened tensions between Pakistan and India over an attack in Indian-administered Kashmir that killed 26 tourists on April 22. New Delhi has blamed the attack on Pakistan. Islamabad has denied involvement and called for a credible international probe into it. Since the attack, both nations have traded fire over their de facto in Kashmir, while diplomats have exchanged barbs and both countries have expelled citizens and ordered their land border shut. Both Pakistani and Indian forces have conducted military drills in a show of their military might, while Pakistan has Pakistan has test-fired a surface-to-surface missile with a range of 450 kilometers, amid fears India may conduct limited strikes against Pakistan on the pretext of the Kashmir attack. With Islamabad engaged in active diplomacy to project its stance over the issue, Turkish Ambassador Dr. Irfan Neziroglu met Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and expressed Ankara's solidarity with Pakistan, Sharif's office said on Saturday. 'The goodwill visit of TCG Büyükada stands as a testament to the ever-strengthening maritime collaboration between Pakistan and Türkiye,' the DGPR said. 'It reflects the deep-rooted mutual trust and strategic partnership between the two brotherly nations, anchored in centuries-old historical and cultural ties.'
Arab News
03-05-2025
- Business
- Arab News
Türkiye reaffirms solidarity with Pakistan after Kashmir attack, urges restraint amid regional tensions
ISLAMABAD: Türkiye has reaffirmed its solidarity with Pakistan following the April 22 attack at a tourist hotspot in Indian-administered Kashmir while calling for de-escalation and restraint to preserve peace in South Asia, the Prime Minister's Office in Islamabad said on Saturday. The assault in Pahalgam, a popular destination in the disputed Himalayan region, killed 26 tourists last month. India accused Pakistan of orchestrating the attack, an allegation Islamabad has since denied repeatedly. The Pakistani administration has also called for an international investigation into the incident, warning that India's claims risk further inflaming tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbors. With Islamabad engaged in active diplomacy to project its stance over the issue, Turkish Ambassador Dr. Irfan Neziroglu met Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and conveyed Ankara's appreciation for Pakistan's response earlier today. 'The Turkish Ambassador informed the Prime Minister that Türkiye appreciated Pakistan's position and expressed its solidarity with Pakistan while calling for de-escalation and urging restraint in the current crisis to maintain peace and security in South Asia,' the Prime Minister's Office said in a statement. During the meeting, Sharif reiterated Pakistan's offer for a credible, transparent and neutral international probe into the Pahalgam attack and welcomed Türkiye's potential participation in such an inquiry. Last month, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan had urged both India and Pakistan to exercise restraint after the attack. Pakistan and Türkiye share close diplomatic, economic and defense ties. Turkish defense firms have helped modernize Pakistan's Agosta 90B-class submarines and supplied military equipment including drones and targeting systems. The two countries also hold regular joint military exercises, most recently the Ataturk-XIII drills aimed at enhancing interoperability. Sharif also told the Turkish envoy that Pakistan's focus remained on economic recovery and growth, which required peace and stability in the region. He highlighted Pakistan's longstanding struggle against militant violence, pointing out the country had sacrificed 90,000 lives and incurred $152 billion of losses.
