Karachi:
The Pakistani navy launched the cannon boat designed and developed PNS Sahiwal, designed and developed locally on Thursday, during a ceremony held at Karachi Shipyard & Engineering Works (KS & EW).
The vice-chief of naval staff, the vice-admiral Ovais Ahmed Bilgrami, attended the event as a chief guest. The ship, developed as part of the naval indigenization and autonomy policy, was designed by the design wing of the navy platform and was under construction at KS & EW.
Launching ceremony of the boat with Canon Pns Sahiwal (Desig) held to @Shipyardkarachi. VCNS V / ADM Ovais Ahmed Bilgrami honored the opportunity under the name of CG. The cannon boat is designed indigenously by Wing by Platform Design Wing of PN & is under construction at KS & EW. 1/3 pic.twitter.com/n66oicfxfy
– DGPR (Navy) (@dgprpaknavy) July 24, 2025
Speaking on occasion, the vice-admiral Bilgrami praised the collaboration efforts of the Design Wing and KS & EW platform, describing the project as an important step in the indigenous capacity of Pakistan.
He also recognized the Ministry of Defense (MODP) for its continuous support to strengthen the country’s maritime industrial basis.
Stressing the ship’s capacities, he noted that the rifle boat is equipped with high-performance semi-automatic cannons with high performance, which allows it to carry out a range of maritime safety operations with increased efficiency.
Photo: X / Pakistan Navy
The platform is designed for versatility and can operate effectively in coastal and sea environments.
The vice-admiral also declared that the navy was considering the production of similar ships to support the modernization efforts in progress and promoting sustained growth in local naval construction infrastructure.
The ceremony brought together senior officials from the Pakistani navy, MODP, KS & EW, and representatives of the naval construction industry.
