Pakistan navy ship Aslat has arrived in the Maldivian capital Male’ City on a four-day goodwill visit.
PNS Aslat arrived in Male’ on Thursday morning to a warm welcome by the Maldives National Defense Force (MNDF).
In a statement announcing the port call, the Pakistan High Commission said it was part of the “strong multifaceted bilateral relationship and defense collaboration” between Maldives and Pakistan.
“The visit is aimed at further strengthening the existing strong relationship between Maldives and Pakistan as well as a manifestation of the strong, diplomatic, economic, cultural, defense and security ties between the two brotherly countries,” added the High Commission.
PNS Aslat’ Commanding Officer, Captain Muhammad Azhar Akram is scheduled to call on the senior officers of MNDF during the visit.
The Pakistan Navy and MNDF are also scheduled to engage in a number of collaborative activities during the visit.
In its statement, the Pakistan High Commission said that the Maldives and Pakistan enjoy close brotherly ties, which have grown stronger over the years.
The High Commission said that such visits provide officers of the Pakistan Navy and the MNDF to share expertise and enhance interoperability and mutual coordination.
PNS Aslat is a F-22P Zulfiquar-class guided missile frigate. It was built Karachi Shipyard & Engineering Works (KS&EW) in Karachi, Pakistan, and launched in 2011.
The ship was commissioned into military service in 2013.
The ship is named after a type of Arab sword used by Arab warriors in the Early Islamic conquests.