Pakistan Navy ships visit Port Victoria

ISLAMABAD:  Pakistan Navy Task Group comprising PNS KHAIBAR and PNS NASR visited Port Victoria, Seychelles during an Overseas Deployment to East African countries and Island States of Indian Ocean Region. 

PNS KHAIBAR is a Type-21 frigate and PNS NASR is a combat support ship.

Cdre Javaid lqbal, Commander 9th Auxiliary & Mine Warfare Squadron is commanding the Pakistan Navy Task Group as Mission Commander.

During the visit, the Mission Commander along with Commanding Officers of the Ships held meetings with military leadership of Seychelles and discussed matters of mutual interests. This included call on with Ambassador Maurice Loustau Lalanne, Minister of Tourism, Brigadier Leopold F Payet, Chief of Seychelles Peoples Defence Forces, Mr Kishnan Laborite, Commissioner of the Seychelles Police, Mr David Andre, Mayor of Victoria and Ms Sheryl Vartgadasamy, Special Advisor (Police) to Minister of Home Affairs.

Philanthropic activities like visit to St. Elizabeth Orphanage and La Retraite Elderly Home were also undertaken with donation of gifts. Officers and men of both the ships also visited Regional Coordination Operations Centre (RCOC) and discussed the importance of information sharing in maritime domain.

Naval forces, as extension of government's foreign policy, have historically contributed to strengthen the bonds of friendship between nations through such goodwill visits. Cognizant of this fact, Pakistan Navy has always endeavoured to enhance collaboration with friendly countries. The visit of PN Task Group was aimed to promote peace and security in the region, enhance maritime collaboration and open new avenues of bilateral cooperation between the friendly countries.