Tazeen Akhtar
A country of 12 ships (10 in use)only has held The International Maritime Sustainability Exhibition & Conference 2024 – Pakistan (IMSEC) in Islamabad. There are shipping companies of the countries around Pakistan that one company has 100 ships. Pakistan has a full fledged Federal Ministry of Maritime Affairs (formerly Ministry of Ports and Shipping) and 6 Authorities related to ports shipping maritime matters. But total number of ships is 12 only. This presents a confusing if not contradictory picture of the seriousness of Pakistan in achievement of the purpose for which the conference is being held.
The names of the ships that are currently in use are , MT Shalimar, Quetta,Lahore, Karachi, Kaghan, MT Chitral, Malakand, Hyderabad, Sibi, MT Multan.It is quite possible that the minister of maritime may not know the names of these ships.
Mv Shalamar, Sawat, Lalazar, Multan, Mv Chitral , Mv Makran,Mv Khairpur, Mv Bolan, Mv Islamabad have been scrapped.
Two ships sank in international waters in the past. MV Nawabshah sank in Malaka straight after hitting a rock in Aug 1985, MV Murree sand near Plymouth, Bournemouth, Cardiff in strong typhoon in 1989. The crew was rescued by Royal Air Force.
Now scraping and crushing/breaking of the ships is another Pandora box in Pakistan. The ships wreckage is the most profitable business in Karachi. Ships are bought in nominal rates and the parts , electronics, utensils installed in the ships are sold out on heavy prices. Minister maritime mentioned environment protection in ship breaking. More environment challenges are to be dealt in other areas like once in the near past.
According to media reports in Aug 2021, multiple hazardous gas leakages that took place last year in the vicinity of Karachi Port, have been responsible for claiming dozens of lives and endangering hundreds of others. The first incident that took place early in 2020, had a death toll of 25 and left over 400 people unconscious. Since then neither the ministry nor any concerned authority bothered to share the reason nor held accountable a single official.
In PTI gov, Mr. Zaidi was maritime minister who was always ridiculing his wife in the diplomatic functions while delivering “Keynote” address. His only point most often was that ,” When I was appointed Minister Maritime Affairs, my wife got offended for, why I have been posted this minister because she thought that the ministry deals with marriages.”
But it seems , he was not wrong totally. The status of the ministry is almost the same. It does not have ships but its authorities and corporations have huge real estate assets. They can be converted into marques for marriage parties. It would be a good business. What if it is not of Maritime but for Marriages.
If we go in the Air from the Sea, Pakistan International Airlines is another same story. PIA has total 34 aircrafts and the average number of the staff per aircraft is more than 304 that is many times more than what the number of staff is in international airlines. PIA is on Sale and the situation speaks a lot that the country is failed to find a buyers so far even after a number of attempts by the government of Pakistan. PIA has a workforce of 10,323 employees, of which 7,399 are regular while 2,924 are outsourced.
Coming back to number of ships , the same is the situation of the over staff in Maritime Ministry as well. If we count the authorities , the division of ships is 2 for each authority while the Ministry is another burden on the public of already near to bankrupt Country. This is being shared by none other than the experts selected by the governments themselves. Shabbar Zaidi was Chairman FBR in PTI government while Qaisar Bengali was the financial advisor of the incumbent government of PDM 2.
Now the question is what one can take the International conference as ? A success? International conference with that less number of ships – Yes it is success. Or a futile activity? Because what you have to exhibit here and boast of here? Nothing…… We are in the news sector for decades but we can not recall about any Pakistani cargo ship ever reached to any destination with trade goods on board.
Development of Maritime Sector in Pakistan and Investment Opportunities Analyzed at IMC of NIMA
Please note, neither the minister nor any other official of maritime authorities have shared any detail about how many ships they have and what maritime operations including sea trade they are conducting.
Environment is central topic in this international activity. Here too , the situation is very bad. The major port is Karachi and what is the condition of sea water in Karachi. The garbage and sewerage of a city with a population of more than 15 million is disposed of in the sea. One can not stand near the sea of Karachi. The participants of the International conference should visit the port and the coastline of Karachi.
Here it is also pertinent to note that the ministry of maritime affairs while hosting the international conference failed to release a compact report even to the press. One can see a report released by the ministry in which neither any particular information has been shared nor the right language has been used. This report reveals how non serious the concerned have taken it. A copy of this report is safe with this scribe for reference.
As claimed , the Ministry of Maritime Affairs, designed the conference to advance Pakistan’s maritime economy through global collaboration and investment.
Mr. Arsenio Antonio Dominguez Velasco, Secretary General of the International Maritime Organization is visiting Pakistan and attended the first day session at Serena Hotel, Islamabad on 12 Sep 2024. Minister of Maritime Affairs Qaisar Ahmad Shaikh is said having highlighted Pakistan’s progress in maritime sustainability. The progress can be seen as above mentioned.
NIMA Pakistan Organizes Awareness Workshop for Media on Maritime Affairs & Blue Economy
