Pakistan To Acquire Chinese Battleships
(Press Trust of India | Islamabad | November 13, 2002)
Pakistan is in talks with China to acquire F-22 fighters in order to gain 'credible combat power' and has finalized contracts to build guided missile boats, its Naval Chief, Admiral Shahid Karimullah, has said.
The talks are under way and very soon these 'latest state of art ships' would be flying Pakistani flag, he told a meeting of Naval officials yesterday, AP News Agency has reported.
He said Pakistan Navy actively perused the proposal to acquire F-22 Frigates from China as the government here has approved to carry out negotiations.
Admiral Karimullah, however did not disclose the number of ships Pakistan would be acquiring. Its is not known yet announced here whether the Pakistani Navy proposed to buy them or acquire them on lease.
Admiral Karimullah also said the contract for the construction of guided missile boats had also been concluded. The report however did not mention the country to which the contracts have been given.
Friends of Tibet (INDIA),
PO Box 16674, Bombay 400050
www.friendsoftibet.org