China handed over the two ships to the Pakistan Navy on Saturday for joint security along the sea route of the China—Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), Dawn News reported. The Gwadar port in Pakistan’s restive Balochistan province has been developed under CPEC linking western China through Pakistan with the Middle East, Africa and Europe. A ceremony was held in Gwadar where Chinese officials, who reached Gwadar aboard the ships, handed them over to their Pakistani counterparts. “The Chinese ships have become part of the Pakistan Navy from today,” Vice Admiral Hussaini said, adding that the navy would become stronger with the induction of the ships. The Chinese government will provide two more ships to Pakistan Navy which have been named Dasht and Zhob after two districts in Balochistan.

Source: The Hindu January 15, 2017 07:02 UTC