By Ahmed Elumami.
Tripoli, 7 October 2013:
A Pakistani warship – Aslat 254 – arrived in Tripoli this morning on a four-day visit . . .[restrict]to boost naval ties and bilateral cooperation between Libya and Pakistan.
“The main reason for this visit is to boost cooperation between the two countries, following up on promises of Pakistani support for Libya after the revolution,” Spokesman for the Libyan Navy Colonel Ayoub Omar Qassem told the Libya Herald.
The visit would also help the development of the Libyan Navy and bolster the already friendly relations between the two countries, Qassem said.
Qassem added that members of the Libyan Navy would be able to have a good look around the Aslat 254 to learn more about the different approaches and methods used by the Pakistani Navy.
Captain of the vessel Colonel Ahmed Farooq said that the frigate had defensive and offensive capabilities which could be used in individual or joint operations with a fleet. He added that it could also accommodate a helicopter.
This type of frigate, Farooq said, was predominantly used to secure the coast, combating piracy operations and undertaking rescue tasks.
The Pakistani ambassador to Libya Ayaz Hussain and a number of Libyan naval officers welcomed the crew with a reception ceremony. [/restrict]
