NA body orders enquiry into ships incident at KPT

KARACHI: National Assembly's Standing Committee on Maritime Affairs has ordered for a detailed inquiry into the recent incident of slight jolting of one ship by another while berthing at a private terminal at Karachi Port and strict legal action against the responsibilities.

Presided over by its Chairman Syed Ghulam Mustafa Shah, the NA Committee in its meeting here at the Head Office of the Karachi Port Trust (KPT) on Monday also directed for the removal of encroachment on the KPT land and also Rangers help be sought, if needed, to save this valuable land of the national organization, said an official statement.

Besides Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs, Mir Hasel Khan Bizenjo, Members of National Assembly Mehar Ishtiaq Ahmed, Ms. Seema Mohuddin Jameeli, Ms. Shaheen Shafiq, Ms. Romina Khurshid Alam, Khalil George, Lal Chand Malhi, Kanwar Naveed Jameel, Federal Secretary, Ministry of Maritime Affairs Syed Mukhtar Ali Shah, Chairman of KPT Rear Admiral Jameel Akhtar, and other senior officers of the ministry and KPT attended the meeting.

The NA members also ordered to make a detailed briefing on the land dispute between the KPT and the Sindh Government and this should be resolved by arranging a meeting with Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah.

KPT Chairman Rear Admiral Jamil Akhtar, in his briefing, said the incident of March 19, 2018 was a result of mistake by the pilot. According to an initial report, he continued, it was a human error and it damaged the repute of Karachi Port.

However, a detailed inquiry was being conducted and the responsible would get tough legal punishment.

He said the incident was minor one and did not cause any major loss to Karachi Port. It was wrongly portraited by certain section of media, he said.

About the encroached KPT land, he said that out of total 19,000 acres of land allotted to the port, nine katchabadis had been set up on 7080 acres.

205 plots were given on lease. In 2001, then Ministry for Ports and Shipping had started its work to develop KPT Employees Housing Society but Sindh Government had filed a petition and the decision was still awaited.

KPT Chairman said if the Chief Minister was rightly briefed on the issue, it could be resolved.

He also informed that KPT was making its best efforts to remove encroachment on its land. It might need the help of the Police and Rangers.