DNA

Karachi, AUG 5: In a simple yet impressive ceremony held at PN Dockyard Karachi, Pakistan Navy decommissioned the last Type-21 Class Ship PNS TARIQ that remained in active service of Pakistan Navy for 30 years. Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs Bilawal Bhutto Zardari was the Chief Guest at the ceremony. Upon arrival onboard PNS TARIQ, the Chief Guest was received by Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Muhammad Amjad Khan Niazi.

While addressing at the decommissioning ceremony, the Chief Guest acknowledged the meritorious Service of ship towards the defence of motherland over the last three decades. He admired the daring Search & Rescue Mission undertaken by PNS TARIQ in Maldives during the Indian Ocean Tsunami of 2005 rescuing precious lives of 377 tourists of various nationalities, a feat acknowledged at the international level. The Chief Guest paid rich tribute to ship’s crew for maintaining the ship in optimum operational state till the very end. He appreciated the planned disposal of the ship as static museum exhibit at UK, showcasing maritime heritage of Royal Navy as well as Pakistan Navy.

PNS TARIQ was inducted in Pakistan Navy in 1993 in a ceremony graced by the then Prime Minister, Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto as Chief Guest and was finally decommissioned by her son after 30 years of service. During almost three decades of illustrious service in Pakistan Navy, the ship logged about twenty thousand hours at sea and travelled more than One Million nautical miles distance.   Before the formal phasing out of the iconic ship, Pakistan Navy on 2 August launched the indigenously built MILGEM Class ship, bearing the same name ‘TARIQ, as a milestone achievement to carry-on the legacy of the valiant ship.

The ceremony was attended by civil and military dignitaries including Ex-commanding officers and commissioning crew of PNS TARIQ.