New PN sub conducts maiden missile firing

Pakistan Navy's newly inducted submarine PNS/M HANGOR conducted its maiden live weapon firing in the North Arabian Sea, accurately engaging a designated long-range target with an anti-ship cruise missile, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said on Sunday. According to the military's media wing, "Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Naveed Ashraf witnessed the firing and praised the submarine's combat power," while emphasising the strategic importance of enhancing subsurface capabilities for credible maritime deterrence. "The milestone underscores the Pakistan Navy's commitment to maintaining a modern, combat-ready force to safeguard national maritime frontiers and regional peace", the statement added. On Saturday, Pakistan Navy ships HUNAIN and YARMOOK seized more than 2,800 kilogrammes of narcotics, valued at approximately $750 million, during a joint counter-narcotics operation in the Arabian Sea, the ISPR said. According to the ISPR, the ships were conducting a routine patrol when they intercepted a suspicious boat. A boarding operation was subsequently carried out, during which narcotics were recovered from "concealed compartments," it said. Admiral Ashraf commended the officers and crew for their "professionalism and vigilance", ISPR added. President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif appreciated the Pakistan Navy on the first successful live-weapon firing of Hangor. The president lauded Pakistan Navy's operational readiness and enhanced maritime defence capabilities. The premier said hitting a long-range target with pinpoint accuracy using an anti-ship cruise missile stood as clear testimony to the PN's operational preparedness.