In a first, Pakistan gifts UK former Pakistan Navy Ship

In a first, Pakistan gifts UK former Pakistan Navy Ship

ISLAMABAD – The Transfer Agreement signing ceremony for the ex-PakistanNavy Ship TARIQ to the Falls of Clyde International (FOCI) of UnitedKingdom was held at Pakistan High Commission in London, said a Paki­stanNavy press release received here on Tuesday.

Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Muhammad Am­jad Khan Niazi graced theceremony as chief guest. Former First Sea Lord and Chief of the Naval StaffRoyal British Navy, Admiral Lord Alan West at­tended the ceremony as Guestof Honour. Ex-PNS TARIQ was formerly decommissioned by Pakistan Navy on 4August 2023 and has been gifted by the government of Pakistan to a UK-basedfirm Falls of Clyde International (FOCI) that plans to convert the shipinto a floating museum.

The ship will be on static display at Clyde Maritime Heritage Cen­tre inGlasgow as a symbol of common naval heri­tage of the Royal and Pakistannavies. Speaking on the occasion, Admiral Lord Alan West said that theclose relationship between the navies and nations of Pakistan and UK areclearly shown by the his­toric agreement focused on one ship that servedboth each countries over many years.

While addressing at the ceremony, Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral MuhammadAmjad Khan Nia­zi acknowledged the meritorious services of PNS TARIQ forthe defence of Pakistan. The chief guest hoped that handing over of TARIQto FOCI will fur­ther strengthen the bonds of friendship between UK andPakistan as the ship will continue to sym­bolize the shared maritimeheritage of both the na­vies in times to come.

The historical ship served in the Royal Navy as HMS AMBUSCADE for 18 yearsand participated in the Falklands War before being inducted andre-commissioned in Pakistan Navy as PNS TARIQ in 1993. The ship served forover 3 de­cades in PN & distinguished herself on many op­erationaldeployments, earning the reputation of a versatile, agile and ever-readycombat ship.

The ship was famously involved in Search and Rescue mission in Maldivesduring the Indian Ocean Tsunami of 2005 which helped save precious lives.