‘Lack of security to force closure of FAP terminal’

Contract workers and terminal operators dispute remains unresolved.

KARACHI:

The country’s first automated terminal at Port Qasim, launched only a few months ago, is fighting for survival and may close down if the government does not ensure security to terminal workers, according to a top official.

Fauji Akber Portia (FAP) Terminal Chief Executive Ahmed Rana said that FAP was losing millions of rupees due to suspension of operations since Tuesday. The terminal has been closed since 30 workers were thrashed by outsiders, which resulted in serious injuries.

Speaking to journalists at the FAP office on Thursday, Rana said, “our workers are working under constant threat of being attacked again. I myself have received death threats and will blame the Port Qasim Authority for any loss of life.”

Commenting on the attack, Rana underlined that seaports are strategic locations where security is always very tight. “I had to take clearance from the Ministry of Interior to allow the Thai ambassador and World Food Programme director to visit FAP. How these workers thrashed our terminal workers is a serious question,” he said.

FAP, launched in October 2010 after an investment of Rs10 billion by a consortium of three companies, is experiencing a tough time.

Speaking to The Express Tribune, Port Qasim Authority (PQA) DG Administration Shujaat Abbas said the Sindh High Court has already ordered contract workers and terminal operators to maintain status quo but the former violated the law for the third time on Tuesday.

“The contract workers are not employees of PQA, but are actually employed by cargo handling companies who are at loggerheads with FAP. I am not sure whether FAP is in breach of any contract with PQA,” he explained.

Abbas said that PQA had registered an FIR against those who resorted to violence and was making efforts to beef up security at the port.

Commenting on the seriousness of violence, he said FAP should step up efforts to resolve the dispute in high court.

On the other hand, Port Qasim Contractor Gul Mohammad Momand, who is negotiating with PQA, said that the people who attacked FAP were later baton-charged by law enforcement agencies. “Around 250 workers of ours are still under custody, while six are missing,” he asserted.

Momand said the workers had no problem as long as FAP followed the contract signed with PQA. However, FAP breached the contract on Tuesday, when it started exporting rice in bags though it can only import and export goods with bulk carriers.

PQA also knows very well that FAP is breaching the contract as it takes the business of PQA by also handling non-bulk carriers at the terminal, he claimed. Replying to a question, he said, “we believe that PQA should negotiate this problem with FAP, which is the ultimate way forward.”

Published in The Express Tribune, March 18^th, 2011.