Chief of the Naval Staff, Admiral Shahid Karimullah, has said that Pakistan Navy has been vigorously pursuing the case with the government for extension of continental shelf from 200 to 350 nautical miles for which the claim is to be submitted by May 2009 in accordance with provisions of UN Conventions on Laws of Seas (UNCLOS) 1982.
He was addressing a seminar on 'Implications of jurisdiction over the extended continental shelf' held here at PNS Jauhar Auditorium, says an ISPR (Navy) press release on Monday.
The CNS, who is also Adviser to the President on Maritime Affairs, said that Pakistan's maritime sector possesses enormous potential and there is a growing need to fully exploit these resources for economic prosperity and development of the country. He said the total area of Pakistan's Exclusive Economic Zone is larger than the combined land area of Sindh and NWFP and can rightly be regarded as the fifth and largest province of the country.
Admiral Shahid said that there is an increasing awareness at national level on the significance of maritime activity and the ongoing development of Gwadar port and construction of coastal highway in recent past clearly demonstrate the importance the government is according to the maritime sector.
He specially thanked President General Pervez Musharraf for his all out support and personal interest in development of maritime sector.
Commenting on the significance of the seminar, the Admiral said that it was aimed at enhancing the awareness of Pakistan's policy makers about various intricacies involved and implications associated with the extension of continental shelf.