PNS Muhafiz

History
NamePNS Muhafiz (M 163)
BuilderBellingham Shipyards Co., Bellingham, Washington, USA
Laid downas AMS-138
Commissioned6 February 1955
FateSunk by INS Veer on 4 December 1971
General characteristics
Class & typeAdjutant-class minesweeper
Displacement362 tons
Length144 ft 3 in (43.97 m)
Beam27 ft 2 in (8.28 m)
Draught12 ft (3.7 m)
Propulsion2 × 880 bhp (656 kW) General Motors 8-268A diesel engines
Speed13 knots (24 km/h; 15 mph)
Complement40
Armament1 × twin 20-mm

PNS Muhafiz was an Adjutant-class minesweeper of the Pakistan Navy. It was built by the United States for transfer to Pakistan. PNS Muhafiz was sunk by a missile from INS Veer of the Indian Navy during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971.

PNS Zulfiqar (K265) of Pakistan was also damaged beyond repair by friendly fire from aircraft of the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) which mistook her for a missile boat of the Indian Navy during the same war. India also lost INS Khukri in this war.