ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s National Logistics Corporation (NLC) and DP World, an Emirati multinational logistics company, are set to begin a shipping service between Karachi and Dubai next month, Pakistani state media reported this week.
Pakistan, which has been facing an economic crisis, wants to leverage its strategic geopolitical position and enhance trade with various countries in the region.
Pakistani policymakers consider the United Arab Emirates (UAE) an optimal export destination due to its geographical proximity, which minimizes transportation and freight costs while facilitating commercial transactions.
The shipping service between Karachi and Dubai’s Jebel Ali port is due to begin on Jan. 13, the state-run Radio Pakistan broadcaster reported.
“This shipping service marks a significant milestone in strengthening trade and regional connectivity,” the report read. “It will also promote economic growth and prosperity and will further accelerate the pace of development in the region.”
The UAE is Pakistan’s third-largest trading partner after China and the United States (US), and a major source of foreign investment, valued at over $10 billion in the last 20 years, according to the UAE foreign ministry. It is also home to more than a million Pakistani expatriates.
In January this year, Pakistan and the UAE signed multiple agreements worth more than $3 billion for cooperation in railways, economic zones and infrastructure, a Pakistani official said, amid Pakistan ‘s caretaker prime minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar’s visit to Davos, Switzerland to attend 54th summit of the World Economic Forum (WEF).
The agreements cover the development of a dedicated freight corridor, multi-modal logistics park, and freight terminals, Syed Mazhar Ali Shah, the Pakistan Railways secretary, said at the time.
Under the agreements, DP World would carry out infrastructure improvement at Qasim International Container Terminal, Pakistan’s leading trade gateway, as part of the project. The Emirati firm also planned to develop an economic zone near the terminal.
Shipping service between Karachi, Jebel Ali ports to start from Jan. 13
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Shipping service between Karachi, Jebel Ali ports to start from Jan. 13
- The development comes amid Pakistan’s efforts to leverage its geopolitical position and enhance trade
- The service will promote economic growth and prosperity, and further accelerate regional development
Pakistan secures $3 million to protect marine biodiversity, reform fisheries
- Global Environment Facility funding will help improve monitoring of coastal and marine ecosystems
- Fisheries contribute about 1 percent to Pakistan’s GDP but are a critical livelihood source in coastal areas
KARACHI: Pakistan has secured $3 million in funding from the Global Environment Facility (GEF) to conserve marine biodiversity and shift toward sustainable and regenerative fisheries management, Maritime Affairs Minister Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry said on Saturday.
The funding, drawn from the GEF Trust Fund, will support a project aimed at strengthening fisheries governance, reducing environmental damage and improving monitoring of coastal and marine ecosystems. Of the total amount, $1.2 million will finance biodiversity interventions, while $1.8 million will address land degradation linked to coastal and marine areas.
“Our sector faces overfishing, high post-harvest losses, and illicit practices that strain marine environments,” Chaudhry said in a statement. “With 701 boats in tuna fishing, mostly artisanal with some semi-industrial, unselective methods and poor onboard storage lead to waste and lost market opportunities.”
“Pakistan, a key player in the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC) and aligned with G16 like-minded coastal states, struggles with unreliable data, weak regulations, and over 70 unofficial landing sites that hinder monitoring, control and policy-making,” he added.
The minister said the program would focus on data collection, policy reform, infrastructure upgrades, capacity building and improved market access, while advancing commitments such as reducing fishing effort, expanding Marine Protected Areas and cutting bycatch.
GEF, which finances environmental initiatives under major global conventions including the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), supports projects in biodiversity, climate change, international waters and land degradation.
Fisheries contribute about 1 percent to Pakistan’s GDP but are a critical source of livelihoods in coastal areas.
Chaudhry said the initiative was designed to modernize the fisheries sector, improve the livelihoods of fisherfolk and align Pakistan’s marine management practices with national and international environmental commitments.
