Addition of 8 Hangor class submarines to bolster Pak Navy’s ‘offensive punch’: Naval chief

Islamabad (APP): Naval Chief Admiral Naveed Ashraf on Sunday said the addition of eight Hangor submarines would boost the combat capabilities of the Pakistan Navy besides bolstering its “offensive punch”.

Pakistan Navy, he said, always laid special emphasis on its submarine force and added that the ongoing submarine project in collaboration with China was testimony to this fact.

The Naval Chief stated this in his message on Hangor Day where the Pakistan Navy submarine Hangor, 53 years ago, created history by sinking Indian Navy’s INS Khukri and Kirpan. This was the first successful engagement of a warship by a submarine, post World War-II, and the only such engagement by a conventional submarine.

“We cannot forget this day and neither can the enemy,” he said, adding that the event was not only part of a tactical battle executed perfectly, but also a strategic demonstration of Pakistan Navy’s resolve to repulse enemy aggression and defend the maritime frontiers, notwithstanding numerical asymmetry.

Admiral Ashraf said the day was a reminder of the courage, tenacity and grit of the Hangor crew, according to the message issued here by the Directorate General Public Relations of Pakistan Navy.

He termed the achievement as Almighty Allah’s blessing and a true measure of the professionalism and selfless devotion of Pakistan Navy’s veteran submariners, who played an inspirational role in establishing historic legacies.

“Through professional excellence and dedication, we can fight against all odds, and continue to enrich our proud heritage,” he said.

The Naval Chief also paid tribute to the martyrs of PNS/M Ghazi who laid their lives while defending the motherland in 1971.

He expressed confidence that the Pakistan Navy’s submarine squadron would continue to draw inspiration from the sacrifices of their predecessors and also from the exemplary feat of legendary PNS/M Hangor.