Save the PNS Hangor

It brought me great displeasure to learn that the Navy has decided to scrap three recently decommissioned Daphne-class submarines, one being the PNS Hangor. For those unaware of the submarine or its achievements, PNS Hangor holds the distinction to be the first post-WWII submarine to sink an enemy vessel by sinking an Indian frigate during the 1971. Since then, the feat has only been repeated once, by a Royal Navy nuclear powered submarine during the Falklands war.

The ship PNS Hangor sank was the frigate 'INS Khukri', the Indian Navy's biggest single wartime casualty since its creation. Her wartime actions forced the Indian Navy to cease attempts of a naval blockade of Karachi, arguably ending Indian desire to continue with the war. In recognition of their accomplishments, captain Commander Ahmed Tasnim would later be award the Sitaria-e-Jurat.

PNS Hangor would go on to provide service to the Navy for another 25 years, until it was decommissioned in a ceremony earlier this year.

Despite the submarines colourful service, the Navy has decided to scrap her. I am totally opposed to this and call upon military enthusiasts and patriots alike to make their voices heard on the issue. She most certainly should not be scrapped, and ought to be refitted for preservation at the Karachi Naval Museum, where she would serve as a very bold attraction. The PNS Hangor is an important piece of our nation's heritage, and being only one of two post-WWII submarines to have registered a kill post-WWII, is important to the history of global naval warfare as a whole.

In the past, Halifax aircraft the RPAF used gallantly to resupply Kashmiri civilians and fighters during the 1947 war were scrapped in the 1950s, as has major military hardware captured during both the Soviet-Afghanistan war and the wars against India.

Many believe all three branches of the military have an impassive attitude towards preserving military heritage, and if PNS Hangor is to be scrapped, it would only serve to reinforce this view.

Regards,

PakMilitary.net