Blue economy to create thousands of jobs

LAHORE: Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs Syed Ali Haider Zaidi said  Wednesday that Blue economy would help create thousands of employment opportunities in Pakistan.

He was addressing a policy seminar on 'Blue Economy' jointly organized by University of Management and Technology (UMT), Pakistan Naval War College and Bahria University Karachi here at UMT.

Ali Zaidi highlighted the real value of Sea route and Blue Economy and its connectivity to daily life, citing that in America, port authorities owned 50 per cent share of companies and also played pivotal role in the developed infrastructure.

Like developed countries, he added, Pakistan could also improve its economic growth through Blue economy. Ali Zaidi said, "We should have enough vessels strength as 95 per cent of imports and exports are being carried by sea route.

We have to move towards e-governance to get better results like the other developed countries."

He also stressed the need for creating awareness among general public not to pollute the sea water by throwing dirt and waste in it.

Other experts also spoke about the importance of blue economy and said it would soon become a game changer for development of Pakistan, therefore, Pakistani youth should play their part in the country's development because Pakistan future lies in the of Blue Economy.

UMT President Ibrahim Hasan Murad, Director General Abid HK Shirwani, Rear Admiral Mukhtar Ahmad (DG Behria University), Commodore Naimat Ullah (Pakistan Navy), Commodore S. M Shehzad, Dr. Muhammad Azam Kakar (Director Planning and Development, Balochistan), Dr. Rashid Aftab Director Riphah Islamabad, Husnain Javed (Advisor PITAC) and Rehmat Ullah Javed (Manager ORIC UMT) attended the seminar.  A large number of students, staff and faculty also participated in the event.