ID :
77563
Sat, 08/29/2009 - 15:39
Auther :

BREAKING FAST WITH A DIFFERENCE


By Nor Faridah Abd Rashid

PORT KLANG (Malaysia), Aug 29 (Bernama) -- In Malaysia, during the month of
Ramadan you will find plenty of corporate bodies and individuals hosting the
iftar (breaking of fast), mostly at hotels.

The Commanding Officer of the PNS Zulfiquar, the Pakistan navy's newly
acquired frigate, decided to do just that Friday night but with a difference.
The iftar was hosted on the deck of the state-of-the art guided missile frigate.


Commander Muhammd Ali said this was the first time ever that PNS Zulfiquar,
which docked in Malaysian waterways on Thursday, was hosting such a reception.

Noting the "brotherly ties" between Malaysia and Pakistan, he said that the
crew members were very well treated by the Malaysian authorities in general and
the Malaysian navy in particular.

The ship sailed from Shanghai on Aug 8 and docked in Indonesian waterways
before coming to Malaysia, the chief executive told Bernama here.

Pakistan High Commissioner to Malaysia Lt-General (Rtd) Tahir Mahmud Qazi
mingled with guests comprising diplomats, Malaysian dignitaries, Malaysian naval
officers and the media who were served with Pakistan's renowned biryani with
lamb and chicken, kebab and appetisers such as pakora and chickpeas, for the
iftar.

According to Muhammad Ali, the ship's seven chefs prepared the dishes.

"All the ingredients for the reception were brought from Pakistan to
Shanghai and now to Malaysia. We know that we wanted to hold the reception and
we want all our guests to enjoy the Pakistani dishes," he said.

Muhammad Ali, who has been in the navy for 22 years, finds Malaysia a
beautiful country and despite this being his third visit, he still enjoyed
spending his time here, although it was normally for a short stint of three to
four days.

"I like to go shopping here," he added.

The PNS Zulfiquar, which is currently berthed at South Point, Northport here
is the first F-22P frigate constructed for the Pakistan Navy at Hudong Zhonghua
Shipyard in Shanghai and was formally handed to Pakistan on July 30.

It is fitted with state-of-the-art weaponry, sensors and carries a Z9EC
helicopter.

This is the second visit by Pakistan's vessels to Malaysia this year.

Two of its naval ships -- PNS Nasr and PNS Badr -- with embarked helicopters
anchored at Port Klang from April 4 to 7 on a goodwill mission to Malaysia and
carried out joint passage exercise.

The PNS Zulfiquar, which is on a four-day visit will sail to Colombo, Sri
Lanka before returning to Pakistan next month.
-- BERNAMA

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