Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs Ali Haider Zaidi revealed that Pakistan will develop its own dredging company that will benefit up to $20 million per annum.
The Minister said that after drug smuggling and diamond smuggling, the deepening of coasts and channels is the biggest source of earning dirty money in the world and in Pakistan, this thing has been at the peak.
Read more: Pakistan approves ferry service for pilgrims from Karachi, Gwadar, and Bin Qasim ports
Although Pakistan is equipped with the technical and human power capacities of this job. The government of Pakistan has decided to establish the country’s own Marine Services Company and the job of dredging will be done which will be the source of saving around $20 million per annum.
In this regard, proposals have been forwarded to the Economic Coordination Committee. It has also been decided to procure tug and pilot boats. Tenders have been opened for this purchase.
While Addressing a press conference in Korangi fish harbor, the federal minister said that the country’s income through seafood is confined to $45 crore only and this is because of the unavailability of the modern infrastructure of fishing and processing.
He said that despite having the resources, tug boats and pilot boats have not been purchased. $29 thousand are being spent on tug boats monthly and on pilot boats, $1.5 lac is spent on a daily basis. He said that for the first time in the history of the country, such a big purchase of tug and pilot boats is being done.
The Minister said that under the Kamyab Jawan Program, the fishermen are being given loans and 90 thousand applications have been submitted for the loan so far. Before the 21st of this month, the agreement of extending the loans to fishermen will be finalized.
Ali Zaidi said that the land price of Port Qasim has been revised and without the allotment, the profit of port Qasim has been increased from Rs 6 billion to Rs 17 billion.
