"Though yet to be confirmed, we have received some deplorable reports that a Pakistani fishing trawler naming Shah Baig having some 29 people aboard has been kidnapped in Somalia," the federal minister said. He said necessary directives were issued to the office of director general ports and shipping, and the government, once confirmed, would make every possible effort under the "SOP process" to get the crew and boat released.
Meanwhile, Ghauri told a group of media persons that a boat, "Ansaar", with at least 19 people aboard was also missing from Balochistan for last couple of days. To a question, Ghauri said efforts were underway to make a ship, M/v JPO Delphinus, which was carrying 51,00 tons of fertiliser and had run aground at Gwadar Port on Tuesday, afloat.
Talking to Business Recorder DG Ports and Shipping Rear Admiral (Retd) Syed Afzal said his office was proactively trying not only to get the reports confirmed, but also ascertain that whether the boat really belonged to Pakistan. He said according to initial reports the kidnapped boat was not registered with the Mercantile Marine Department and may belonged to the fisheries.
Earlier, KPT Chairperson Nasreen Haque and President CHEC Sunziyu formally signed a contract under which the letter would construct three breakwaters, including sand dykes to cater to the needs of the new deepwater navigation channel and basin for the DWCP harbour. The KPT chairperson and the CHEC president in their respective speeches resolved to stick to the mutually agreed terms and conditions of the contract.