Daily Times

Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah and Federal Minister for Maritime Qaiser Shaikh, during their meeting, discussed addressing fishermen’s issues, tackling sea pollution and plans to develop Keti Bandar as a new port.

According to CM House statement, meeting held here at the Chief Minister’s House on Wednesday and was attended by Secretary to CM Raheem Shaikh and Chairman Port Qasim Rear Admiral Nasir Shah.

The Chief Minister noted that provincial government has banned sensitive fishing nets, known as Bulloo and Gujjo. However, the matter of determining which government-issued licenses to trawlers remains unresolved.

To tackle the trawlers’ issue, the Chief Minister and the federal minister agreed to form a joint committee comprising members from the Maritime Ministry, as well as the governments of Sindh and Balochistan.

They also discussed the problem of untreated wastewater being discharged into the sea, which contributes to sea pollution. In response, the CM said that Sindh government has initiated the West Karachi Water Recycling Project. Murad Shah and Qaiser Shaikh discussed the installation of a Combined Effluent Treatment Plant, agreeing that both provincial and federal governments should collaborate on this project.

During the conversation, it was noted that Karachi Port Trust and Port Qasim currently handle sea traffic. However, there is an increasing need for another deep port, such as Keti Bandar, to help alleviate some of this load. Keti Bandar Road has connectivity to the National Highway and motorway, facilitating efficient transportation of goods to inland areas.

The Chief Minister stated that the Keti Bandar project was initially approved as part of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) projects but has not been pursued for unspecified reasons. The federal minister expressed his intention to discuss the issue within his ministry and seek a private partner to establish the port.