ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Navy (PN) task group, comprising of PNS Khaibar and PNS Nasr, visited Port Victoria, Seychelles, on Sunday, as part of an overseas deployment to East African countries and island states around the Indian Ocean. PNS Khaibar is a type-21 frigate and PNS Nasr is a combat support ship.
The 9th Auxiliary and Mine Warfare Squadron Commander Commodore Javaid lqbal was leading the PN task force. During the visit, Commodore Iqbal, along with commanding officers of the ships, held meetings with the military leadership of Seychelles and discussed matters of mutual interests. The officers called on Ambassador Maurice Loustau Lalanne, Peoples Defence Forces Chief Brigadier Leopold F Payet, Seychelles Police Commissioner Kishnan Labonte, Mayor of Victoria David Andre and Special Advisor (Police) to Minister of Home Affairs Sheryl Vartgadasamy.
The PN group also took part in philanthropic activities and visited St Elizabeth Orphanage and La Retraite Elderly Home, where they also donated gifts for the children. Officers and other staff belonging to both the ships also visited the Regional Coordination Operations Centre (RCOC) and discussed the importance of information sharing in maritime domain.
The naval forces have historically contributed towards strengthening the bonds of friendship between nations through goodwill visits, as an extension of the government’s foreign policy. Pakistan Navy had always endeavoured to enhance collaboration with friendly countries.
The visit of the Pakistan Navy task group was aimed at promoting peace and security in the region, enhance maritime collaboration and open new avenues of bilateral cooperation between friendly countries.