On Tuesday, the Pakistani federal cabinet officially approved the start of a ferry connection from the ports of Karachi and Gwadar to neighboring Iran, Iraq, the United Arab Emirates and beyond.
The ministry suggested starting the ferry service from Karachi (Karachi Port) and connecting Port Qasim and Gwadar Port with Bandar Abbas (Iran), Basra (Iraq), Muscat (Oman) and Dubai (UAE) individually or together.
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There was currently no international or domestic commercial ferry service in Pakistan for the carriage of passengers and goods.
According to a summary available only to this author, the potential benefits of waterborne ferry transport have been identified and are found all over the world, especially in several European countries.
Ferry companies were established in regional countries such as Iran, the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka and successfully operated on various routes. The potential to start a ferry service in Pakistan has been felt for some time, especially in the context of offering an alternative route for Zaireen to visit sacred sites in Iran and Iraq.
In addition, transportation between Karachi and Gwadar and the provision of an alternative water route between Karachi and Port Qasim provide good opportunities for the country.
According to information, the Ministry of Maritime Affairs presented a summary to the Prime Minister of Foreign Affairs, Home Affairs, Tax and Defense on December 15, 2017 and proposed launching a ferry service by Pakistan National Shipping Corporation (PNSC).
وفاقی وزیر اطلاعات و نشریات سینیٹر شبلی فراز کی کابینہ اجلاس میں کیے گئے اہم فیصلوں کے حوالے سے میڈیا بریفنگ۔@shiblifaraz pic.twitter.com/4bVRknFtm9
— Govt of Pakistan (@pid_gov) September 8, 2020
The State Department and the Department of the Interior approved the proposal, but the Department of Defense had made various comments / conditions on the proposed ferry service. As a result, the Prime Minister's Office returned the summary with instructions to process the Defense Department's comments and resubmit them as soon as possible.
The Ministry of Maritime Affairs subsequently forwarded the proposal with a response to the comments of the Ministry of Defense. A slightly modified route and involvement of private operators was proposed. The Ministry of Defense supported the proposal, but stressed that the ferry service should start in three phases.
The Ministry of Defense recommended ferry connections to Muscat and then to the United Arab Emirates and Abu Dhabi in the first and second phase and later to Iran / Iraq in the third phase. The ministry considered that a ferry service without Iran / Iraq, a popular destination in Zaireen, would not be economically viable in the first phase.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs approved the Ministry's proposal, given Defense security concerns. The resubmitted proposal was returned by the Prime Minister's Office with instructions to convene a meeting with relevant stakeholders to discuss any comments / concerns, including those from the FBR and the Department of Defense, followed by recommendations.
The ferry terminals in Karachi port, Qasim port and / or Gwadar port will be set up by the respective port authorities, and all operational facilities related to security, immigration, customs, etc. In cooperation with other ministries, an international airport in the country.
