KARACHI: Majyd Aziz, Former President Employers Federation of Pakistan, proposed that along with Agriculture, Mining, and Information Technology, the Blue Economy should be a vital priority and focus of the Special Investment Facilitation Council. The Blue Economy is also indigenous and Pakistan is blessed with over 1000 km of coastline. Blue Economy is an ocean-oriented sustainable use of ocean resources for economic growth, improving livelihood, and creating job opportunities. He was speaking at the COLMAB 2024 (Conference on Logistics, Maritime Affairs, and Blue Economy) in Karachi.
Majyd Aziz added that Pakistan’s share in world exports in the Blue Economy is just 0.25%, which is the minimum in the global export market. However, Pakistan needs to immediately improve and modernize the Fishery Sector through adoption of the latest technology, equipment, and processes. Pakistan can also promote renewable energy, maritime transport, and tourism under the Blue Economy.
Mr. Majyd informed that during his tenure as President EFP, the EFP Economic Council identified several key factors that contributed to this mire state. These included persistent use of conventional fishing methods, unmonitored over-fishing by large industrial trawlers, dilapidated fish storage and processing infrastructure at harbors, and failed coordination between Federal and Provincial Fisheries Authorities.
He also stated that during his tenure as President (UN) Global Compact Network Pakistan, it became a partner with Maritime Anti-Corruption Network Denmark to sensitize, advise, and motivate Port users to eliminate or minimize corruption in the Maritime Sector. It is to the credit of both organizations that all stakeholders agreed to achieve this objective from a common platform.
Majyd Aziz proposed that the Port charges should be bifurcated into local, that is, those incurring Port costs such as salaries of Ports personnel, maintenance, and repairs, etc., and foreign outlay, that is, where foreign exchange is needed. This would save billions in cost of handling soybean, rapeseed, canola, wheat coal, etc., for exporters, importers, as well as the government.
He also advised the Federal Minister of Maritime Affairs, Qaiser Ahmed Shaikh, that the majority of Boards of Trustees of KPT and PQA should be nominated by Port users rather than appointing irrelevant persons, instead on political basis or their high profile. Moreover, the Chairmen of both Boards should be from the private sector.