The nerve-racking incident had reportedly led to the spillage of at least 30,000 tonnes of crude oil into the Pakistani waters, thus creating a long-lasting ecological imbalance in the country's sea life.
Apart from the long-lasting and incalculable environmental and psychological detriments, the tragedy is still posing a huge financial loss of at least $6.57 billion that the PNSC would have to pay if it losses ground in the British court against owners of the Tasman Spirit, Assimina Maritime Limited, who claims that the Corporation had violated the 'safe berth warranty' by declaring a wrong 12.5-meter draft for the KPT's approach channel.
Like many others these nerve-testing experiences, however, could not succeed in haunting and awakening the so-called red tape and policymakers in Pakistan, who are yet to shield the crises-hit country against such financo-ecological challenges.
The International Oil Pollution Compensation Fund 1992 (IOPC Fund-1992) is a protocol that could provide Pakistan with a reliable shield against such financial mishaps. The IOPC Fund-1992 is part of an international regime of liability and compensation for oil pollution damage caused by oil spills from tankers. Under the regime the owner of a tanker is liable to pay compensation for oil pollution damage following an escape of persistent oil from his ship.
Out of at least 205 nation states of the world 103, including Pakistan's conventional rival India, have safeguarded themselves through signing the protocol.
Whereas Pakistan along with some other countries, including China, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Indonesia, Syria, Peru etc, is unwary of the recurrence of the unfortunate incident which, as the experts believe, is more likely to take place at congested ports like Karachi and Port Qasim.
"The matter is quite important but I am not sure whether or not the Fund has been signed" by Pakistan. Federal Minister for Ports and Shipping Babar Khan Ghauri had told Business Recorder after second meeting of the Marine Pollution Control Board at KPT Head Office earlier this month (January 9).
The federal minister's answer is self-explanatory and reflects clearly the level of importance Islamabad attaches to the issue. When contacted Secretary Ministry of Ports and Shipping, Saleem Khan, was also unable to update Business Recorder what he said "at hand" on the lingering issue. He sees no entanglement to the ratification of the convention, saying his side had accomplished its part of the work.
The experts, however, opine that 'money and red tape' are the apparent insurmountable hurdles that despite verbal official recognition make local policymakers reluctant to become party to the Fund. "Every signatory has to pay a levy of at least 0.0064870 pound on every tonne of a certain type of oil imported through sea in the member country annually," they quoted the IOPC Funds's Contributions Table for 2007-2008. The contributions are made to the London-based Secretariat of the Fund.
The experts are of the view that may be a 'costly affair' the protocol would help Pakistan avoid the anticipated financial liabilities emanating from the accidents, like Tasman Spirit. They also cite a non-serious attitude of the ministries of environment, petroleum and natural resources and ports and shipping towards such essential pre-emptive measures as a reason for Pakistan's failure to ink the convention.
The experts were also critical of the responsibility confusion between the three ministries and other concerned departments, most of which had allegedly been trying to pass on the responsibility to the others instead of owning it. Thanks, however, to the shipping ministry whose recommendations had enabled Pakistan in 2005 to ratify the 1992 Civil Liability Convention after approval of the Federal Cabinet.