Pak plans to locate full-fledged port at "Keti Bandar"

Karachi: The Ministry of Ports and Shipping is also considering Keti Bandar as a full-fledged future port in line with the ports expansion strategy to meet the growing demand of the country's cargoes. 'We are also working on the feasibility of Keti Bandar as an active future port and, after its final report, the Ministry would take decision.'

Minister for Ports and Shipping Babar Khan Ghauri said at a ceremony to distribute motorcycles to the staff of Pakistan National Shipping Corporation (PNSC) here on Monday. He said that PNSC would purchase three more ships. Of these, two would be oil tankers and one bulk carrier. The Corporation has been directed to purchase all three vessels before November 16 this year, he added.

Keeping in mind the hardships faced by low-income staff of PNSC, the Ministry provides motorcycles on easy instalments to 22 workers. Earlier, Ghauri said that Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz has approved the business plan for a modern Sonmiani Port for which ground-breaking would be performed this year. The business plan was presented by the Ministry of Port and Shipping to start initial work on the fourth port project.

The fourth destination for commercial cargo handling--Allah Din Port--was announced earlier by President Pervez Musharraf during the inaugural ceremony of Gwadar Port in March. According to the business plan, the government has decided to declare tax-free city at Sonmiani that also includes modern tourist's resorts, universities, hospitals, and leisure facilities. Another feature of the Sonmiani port is a fishermen village that would be converted into a modern village and improve their living standards.

The government also decided to build a city equipped with all facilities first and at later stage other projects would be initiated. Sonmiani Bay Island is a beautiful beach with sufficient space to develop a modern coastal port city for business, tourists and industrial project which is located in Balochistan about 75 kilometres west of Karachi.

Earlier, in his address of welcome, PNSC Chairman Vice Admiral Tauqir Hussain Naqvi said that the Corporation had lifted three general cargoes from Kandla Port (India) and two oil consignments. The Corporation was unable to lift more Indian cargoes due to non-availability of vessels, 'but it's a big achievement for the corporation'.