Ijaz Kakakhel
Speakers at a daylong workshop on Tuesday demanded of the government to finalize the review of Maritime Strategy which was under this phase for the last twenty years.
Maritime is important subject of the economy which has billions of dollars potential and there would be no need for borrowing once proper strategy adopted. These views were expressed by speakers during an awareness and advocacy workshop related to maritime affairs for media personnel and the National Institute of Maritime Affairs (NIMA) arranged it.
The event was organised to acknowledge the critical role of media in nation-building as the fourth pillar of democracy. The workshop was specifically tailored to identify important linkages of maritime economy (Blue Economy) with national economy and security. President NIMA Ahmad Saeed welcomed the participants and presented an overview of the geopolitics and its impact on maritime economy & regional stability.
The president informed the participants that two third resources are related with sea and only one third on land that is why the Maritime has important and potential sector of Pakistan economy.
He said that Pakistan Maritime Strategy was in review phase and the world was making progress and earning from this sector.
There are structural gaps in Pakistan’s Maritime strategy and stressed the need for urgent addressal. He also informed the participant that the government is spending USD 8 to 10 billion as freight charges and it can be reduced if proper strategy adopted. Similarly, there was no Aquacultural policy in Pakistan which has USD 10 billion export potential. Speaking on the occasion Ambassador Masood Khalid highlighted the Geo Strategic Environment in the Indian Ocean. He said that Indian Ocean is the largest ocean which spread over 37 countries including two nuclear arms countries i.e. Pakistan and India.
