KARACHI: Zubair Tufail, the President of the United Business Group (UBG) and former President of the FPCCI, expressed his pleasure over the China-Pakistan submarine agreement, stating that this deal will greatly enhance Pakistan’s naval defence capabilities.
It is noteworthy that Beijing will provide a total of 8 modern submarines to Pakistan, of which four will be built in China and the remaining four will be constructed under technology transfer at the Karachi Shipyard and Engineering Works.
Zubair Tufail stated that these submarines will be equipped with advanced weapons and sensors, significantly enhancing Pakistan’s underwater warfare capabilities.
These submarines will boost Pakistan’s naval power. He also highlighted that the Pakistan Navy had earlier achieved another milestone with the launch of the fourth Hangor-class submarine, Ghazi, in the Chinese city of Wuhan.
He further mentioned that according to available information, these advanced submarines will be equipped with cutting-edge weapons and sensors capable of targeting distant objectives.
The Hangor-class submarines will play a crucial role in balancing regional power, naval defence, and ensuring peace and stability.
Zubair Tufail added that under the $5 billion defence agreement between Pakistan and China, the first Hangor-class submarine being built with China’s cooperation will be inducted into the Pakistan Navy’s active service next year.
He also mentioned that the delivery of the 8 submarines under the agreement is progressing smoothly, and these submarines will significantly enhance Pakistan’s surveillance capabilities in the Arabian Sea and the Indian Ocean by 2028.
He congratulated the leadership of the Pakistan Army on this submarine agreement and emphasized the military leadership’s special focus on new warfare demands, such as artificial intelligence (AI), unmanned systems, and electronic warfare technologies.
He also noted that exploring opportunities for cooperation with China in these areas will yield positive results.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
