ISLAMABAD: China will provide eight submarines to the Pakistan Navy by 2028, said Chief Project Director of Submarines while briefing the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Defence during the committee’s visit to the Naval Headquarters here on Friday.

Four of the subs would be constructed in China and the rest in Pakistan. The committee, headed by Shaikh Rohail Asghar, was earlier welcomed by Chief of the Naval Staff at the Naval Headquarters. The chief project director gave a detailed overview of the challenges and future plans of the Pakistan Navy.

He said the Pakistan Navy had inked a contract with China for submarines according to which the latter will construct four submarines in China and supply them to the Pakistan Navy in mid 2022-23.

The remaining four submarines will be constructed in Pakistan at the Karachi Shipyard and these will be handed over to the Pakistan Navy in 2028.

According to a news release, members of the committee expressed satisfaction over the measures made by the Pakistan Navy for securing the coastal areas of Pakistan.