TAIPEI: A Chinese shipyard has completed a second submarine for the Pakistan navy, further strengthening military ties between the two countries.
The diesel-electric Hangor class craft was launched on Thursday at China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation’s shipworks in the central city of Wuhan on the Yangtze River, Chinese state media reported Sunday.
Pakistan contracted to buy eight of the submarines, the final four of which are to be built by the Karachi Shipyard & Engineering Works in the Pakistani port city of the same name.
The Hangor class is believed to be an export version of China’s 039A submarine, with a crew of 38 plus eight spaces for special forces troops and equipped with torpedoes and anti-ship missiles.
Pakistan has used submarines in the past to confront India as part of their land wars over disputed territory in the north. Prohibitions on dual military and civilian use of technology by European nations that make diesel submarines has left China Pakistan’s best option for modern military equipment.
According to a Swedish military think tank, China has accounted for more than 81 percent of Pakistan’s weapons imports over the past five years. Joint venture projects include the Hangor as well as the JF-17 fighter jet.
Meanwhile, China and India have agreed to work toward a solution to their long-running border dispute in the Himalayas after a military standoff that flared with a deadly clash in 2020 but dates back decades.
Chinese shipyard completes second submarine for ally Pakistan
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Chinese shipyard completes second submarine for ally Pakistan
- The Hangor class is believed to be an export version of China’s 039A submarine, with a crew of 38 and equipped with anti-ship missiles
- Pakistan contracted to buy eight of the submarines, the final four of which are to be built by the Karachi Shipyard & Engineering Works
Pakistan seeks UK action over ‘incitement to violence’ against top military commander
- Move follows a video that purportedly showed a PTI supporter in Bradford referencing violence against the army chief
- Pakistan’s deputy interior minister says the government has written to the UK, saying the content breaches British law
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s State Minister for Interior Tallal Chaudhry said on Friday the government has written a letter to the United Kingdom to express concern over social media content circulating from British territory, which he said amounts to incitement to violence against the Pakistani state.
Speaking to a local news channel, Chaudhry said the government raised the issue after a video clip on social media purportedly showed a protester of former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party criticizing Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir and referring to violence against him.
“This is not a political matter, nor is it a question of freedom of expression,” the minister said while speaking to Geo TV. “This is clearly a violation of international law and of Britain’s own laws, including the British Terrorism Act 2006.”
He said the material went beyond political dissent and amounted to incitement to violence, adding that Pakistan had conveyed to British authorities that states are responsible for ensuring that individuals residing on their territory — whether citizens, asylum seekers or others — do not incite rebellion or violence against another sovereign country.
“What is very dangerous is that a very specific act — a car bombing — has been referenced,” he continued. “It has not been generalized.”
A social media post by a Britain-based journalist claimed that the video was recorded during a protest outside Pakistan’s consulate in Bradford, though neither the authenticity of the footage nor the identity of the individual could be independently verified.
Chaudhry said Pakistan’s complaint to the UK was lodged under international law, British law and United Nations principles governing relations between states, stressing that the issue was one of incitement rather than protected speech.
“This is not about freedom of expression. This is about incitement and terrorism, which is against Britain’s own laws,” he said, adding that Islamabad expects British authorities to take action.
Pakistani officials have also previously voiced concerns over social media activity by PTI supporters abroad that they say fuels unrest and hostility toward state institutions.
British authorities have not publicly responded to the letter or Chaudhry’s statement.
PTI has not reacted to either of them as well.
