Ferry policy

Running a ferry service from Karachi to Chabahar, Muscat and Dubai is an attractive proposition

Nearly two years after the government proposed the start of a domestic and international ferry service, we are finally on the cusp of seeing the contours of a draft policy on the same — at the next federal cabinet meeting. The policy, according to Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs Mir Hasil Khan Bizenjo, promises some handy concessions such as a tax holiday for ferry owners and operators until 2040. This will help promote investment and encourage people to introduce ferry and dining cruise services both on domestic and international routes — preempting perhaps further expansion of routes at a later stage or as and when required. The move to not charge for port services for up to four or five years is a decent incentive as long as it is not abused.

Running a ferry service from Karachi to Chabahar (Iran), Muscat (Oman) and Dubai (UAE) is an attractive proposition and though the same was proposed and begun rather haphazardly during Musharraf’s reign, the idea didn’t really catch on. It is easy to tell why. The difference between now and then is obviously a proper, laid-down policy as opposed to not having any regulations to govern such a fledgling sector.

With the government’s role restricted more or less to licensing arrangements, private entities could find plenty of room to breathe and flourish. The draft policy adequately covers the bugbears of immigration and narcotics smuggling but a lot more would have to be done to prevent any abuse of service.

The ferry service to Iran offers an alternative means of travel to would-be pilgrims — which is not only profitable but also sustainable and relatively risk-free when weighed up against road transport currently operating between Iran and Pakistan. Now that we have a ferry policy we should not waste any more time in implementing it for our businessmen, pilgrims and tourists.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 18^th, 2018.

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