Two island-class ships inducted into PMSA

Two Island Class ships, PMSS SABQAT and RAFAQAT, were formally inducted and commissioned into the Pakistan Maritime Security Agency at a ceremony on Thursday. 

After serving in the US Coast Guards, the ships have undergone a complete overhaul in the United States prior to their delivery and commissioning into the Pakistan Maritime Security Agency (PMSA).

Vice Admiral Tayyab Ali Dogar graced the occasion as chief guest, and senior military and government officials, and the US consul general in Karachi attended the ceremony.  These ships have been equipped with capabilities to effectively undertake patrolling, surveillance, search and rescue and other law enforcement operations. The crew members of the ships were trained at US Coast Guards facilities. 

During his welcome address, Rear Admiral Jamil Akhtar, director general of the PMSA, said that for the growing needs of the enhanced area of responsibility of the PMSA’s evolving maritime challenges, law enforcement imperatives and national obligations of SAR, a capacity enhancement plan approved by the federal government was smoothly proceeding.

He described the induction of a record number of platforms in a single calendar year as unprecedented in the history of the PMSA. He added that the acquisition of all these platforms had been a challenging process having peculiar complications with regard to manning, budgetary approvals, crew training and their blending into the existing the repair, maintenance and support regimes. However, all this had been made easier and smooth through extra efforts and a focused approach by the PMSA.

Vice Admiral Tayyab Ali Dogar, in his address, congratulated the PMSA on the induction of the two ships after the earlier induction of three maritime patrol vessels into the fleet within a span of just eight months.

He declared this a proud and historic moment for the PMSA and everyone involved. He said that PMSS SABQAT and RAFAQAT were a new chapter in the developmental plans of the PMSA and the two ships would serve the country and the PMSA effectively in the coming decades. 

He hoped that these platforms would surely strengthen the operational capacity and offer flexibility in law enforcement by the PMSA.

Admiral Dogar said that such developments were encouraging for the maritime sector, which was gaining requisite focus and attention. He further said that maritime security apparatus was also cruising up at a positive and consistent pace to the growing demands of maritime domains, especially after the announcement of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. The chief guest also visited various sections of the ships where he was briefed by commanding officers about the capabilities of the ships.