Secure sea routes vital to economic stability, says Junaid Anwar Chaudhry
Maritime minister highlights port reforms, investment proposals and shipping sector development
NIMA-Bahria University symposium examines maritime security, ocean governance and blue economy
ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry on Wednesday said secure sea routes were vital to economic stability amid rising regional tensions.
He was addressing a symposium titled “Pakistan’s Maritime Future: Maritime Security, Ocean Governance and Blue Economy”, organised by the National Institute of Maritime Affairs (NIMA) at Bahria University.
The symposium brought together policymakers, academics and maritime officials to examine regional challenges, the evolving maritime order, emerging technologies, ocean governance and opportunities for ports and shipping sector to contribute to national security and economic growth.
Junaid Chaudhry said the Ministry of Maritime Affairs was working to improve port efficiency, expand the national merchant fleet, facilitate trade and attract investment.
The Karachi Port Trust (KPT) had handled more than 2,000 ship movements, while the ministry had introduced reforms in port charges and auction procedures and taken measures to facilitate refrigerated cargo and expedite clearance, he said.
He said Pakistan’s removal from the Joint War Committee’s list could help reduce additional insurance costs for maritime trade. The move was expected to benefit commercial activity worth around $3 billion, he added.
The minister also highlighted proposed investments, including a steel project worth about $680 million at Port Qasim, an integrated maritime industrial complex valued at more than $1.4 billion and a multipurpose terminal project estimated at around $350 million.
He said the government was also working to expand the Pakistan National Shipping Corporation’s fleet, promote shrimp farming and strengthen the fisheries value chain.
A sub committee formed on the prime minister’s instructions was developing a plan to promote aquaculture and expand shrimp production, he added.
Earlier, Ambassador Sardar Masood Khan delivered the keynote address on great-power contestation and the evolving dynamics of the maritime domain.
Dr Zafar Nawaz Jaspal, acting vice chancellor of Quaid-i-Azam University, discussed changing strategic dynamics in the Indian Ocean region and their implications for the maritime order.
Dr Mustafa Başkara, chief executive officer of DEHUKAM Türkiye, addressed the symposium online, focusing on evolving ocean governance frameworks and their implications for maritime interests.
Rear Admiral (retd) Shahid Ahmed, chairman of the Karachi Port Trust, examined whether Pakistan’s ports could sustain their current momentum beyond periods of crisis.
The symposium was organised by the National Institute of Maritime Affairs and Bahria University.
