What i am suggesting is not something High-Fi but just a landing and reequipping platform for our Jf17s and mirages. Something more along the line of a floating airstrip with a place to park 2 aircrafts so they can be fueled and weaponized at a time. We have history of achieving the impossible and i believe an aircraft carrier is possible.
Its not rocket science, even if it is, still not that difficult.
Our attitude towards being Naval power is appalling.... Had the Mughuls and Nawabs of India been a strong Naval Power... The world would have been a much different place today.
The right time for the navy to have looked for a Carrier was when we were getting aid from the Americans.... Sadly our Navy was neglected during that time with bulk of the hardware going to the ARMY and AIR FORCE.... Had we have inducted one we would have been the first Islamic country to do so..... if we do so even now we would still be the first as no other Islamic country has done so.
As for the the question of using the JF-17 on a carrier... I dont think it was ever designed with Carrier capability in mind. The Grumman mantra (the company which had a long history making carrier capable aircraft such F6F, F9F, F-14 tomcat) is ....
If a aircraft is not built from the beginning with carrier capability in mind it impossible to convert it. In fact the only aircraft to have been successfully converted from a land based aircraft to carrier capable aircraft is the T-45 Goshawk (Nasalized version of the BAE Hawk). This probably means extensively modifying the the JF-17 with a hardened landing gear and a tail hook.
Matching naval force ship for ship is not a good idea... Imperial Germany did this prior to world war I... Most of their fleet never left port and ended up in enemy hands... That is why they chose asymmetric warfare and concentrated on U boats during WWII
During the Cold war the annual expenditure of the Soviet navy was approx 12 billion while the annual expenditure of the US was aproxx 60 billion ... The difference was of course carriers
During the Falklands War the Argentine navy withdrew its carrier 25 De Mayo once their Cruiser Genral Belgrano was sunk. This means if we do purchase a carrier We should be mentally prepared for the worst....
its loss at sea... which can be from an air attack... a submarine.... or even a modern hi speed missile boat.
Yes I would love to see a Carrier in the Pak Navy once our econmy allows just for the propaganda value.
Currently if our intention is countering the Indian Carriers.... cheaper options are available.