New submarine launched

The Pakistan Navy launched yesterday its first indigenously-built Agosta 90-B submarine in the port city of Karachi and announced plans to induct four war ships with the assistance of China.

The first ship would be manufactured in China, while the three others would be built in Pakistan, said Admiral Abdul Aziz Mirza, Pakistan Navy chief.

The government has already approved the plan and talks are under way with China for the transfer of technology, he said while talking to reporters after the launching ceremony of the Agosta, which has been constructed with the French assistance.

Pakistan has already commissioned one French-built Agosta in its fleet in 1999.

Mirza said that with the completion of first indigenously built submarine Pakistan has joined the "elite club" of a very few countries which have the ability to construct submarines.

The submarine, named Saad after Saad bin Abi Waqas, a renowned Islamic commander in the early days of Islam, is equipped with four bow torpedo tubes, missiles, and a French combat electronics system. It was built with the assistance of the French company D.C.N. Cherbourg and now starts six months of sea trials.

The second Pakistan-built Agosta will be launched in 2003, Mirza said.

"This momentous event will go down in history as one of Pakistan Navy's biggest achievements and contribution toward indigenisation and self-reliance," he said addressing the launching ceremony.

During the launch ceremony, D.C.N. Cherbourg chairman Adm. Jean-Marie Poimboeuf inaugurated the submarine's building hall as Cherbourg Hall.

Pakistan renamed the hall to honour those 11 company engineers who were killed in a devastating car bombing in Karachi on May 8 outside the Sheraton Hotel.

Soon after the attack, the French government said that it won't pull back French engineers and technicians working on the project.