ISLAMABAD: Minister for Ports and Shipping Mir Hasil Bizenjo told the Senate Standing Committee on Ports and Shipping that the modern and sensitive scanners would be installed at Karachi Port Authority (KPT) which would enable customs officials to identify items within the containers without unsealing them. In this regard international standards are going to be followed.
This efficient scanning process would lead to less time consumption in the clearing of ships and containers on the port. However; the authority to declare clearance of a container would still lie with the Customs Department.
Bizenjo further apprised the committee that additional and concrete measures were being followed for provision of transportation through railway to carry the load from the ports.
“The existing railway track most of the area was maintained by the trust and that the available was insufficient to meet the requirement of handling of consignments and shipments. However, the issue is under discussion with the Ministry of Railway; in order to avoid congestion a dedicated track is also proposed” he maintained.
Chairman Committee Barrister Muhammad Ali Saif appreciated minister for taking up the issue with Ministry of Railways and invited the Railways minister to next meeting to discuss this matter in detail. He further directed his staff to invite Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) and stakeholders to discuss the issues of pending cases of tax as well as revenue generated by KPT.
Minister for Ports & Shipping apprised the committee about the project of building the Karachi Harbour Crossing Bridge plan is under consideration with the Asian Development Bank.
Providing the background he told the time span for the project would be five to six years. After completion it would connect the northern bypass to Karachi port. Ministry of Finance is also taken on board for the project. He added that it would be an exemplary project of Public Private Partnership.
The contract was awarded to Dutch company. Minister added that this is the most modern deep water port in the whole world. It is a robotic operating port with the number of staff as low as 400 officials. Such models exist in Dubai and other countries.
The depth of channel has been increased from 13 meters to 16 meters thus it will be able to handle bigger shipments. He also added that the dredging contract has been concluded. The Dutch company has done the job within three months instead of prescribed four months.
Minister apprised the Committee that the total untreated waste water by industrial and other means is 48 Million Gallon per Day which is going into the ocean. This pollution is affecting the people of Karachi increasing a number of diseases.In this regard a meeting with the Prime minter is under planning.
He said that provincial and federal government need to work in collaboration in order to solve this problem and that there should be a strategy with all the stakeholders. Without any strategy the Karachi would remain the polluted city.
