KU, PMSA join hands for uplift of coastal communities

Research to focus on conservation and protection of marine life

KARACHI:

The University of Karachi (KU) and the Pakistan Maritime Security Agency (PMSA) have agreed to collaborate in research, conservation and protection of marine life and social uplift of communities living along the coast of Sindh and Balochistan, a statement said on Thursday.

As per the statement, the top academic institution and the maritime security institution have decided to undertake integrated policy initiatives on various challenges along the 1,046 kilometer-long coastline of Pakistan stretching from the India in the east to Iran in the west. .

It was decided during a meeting between PMSA Director General Rear Admiral Mirza Foad Amin Baig and KU Acting Vice Chancellor Dr Nasira Khatoon at the KU VC Office, said a statement released on Thursday.

It was decided that both the institutions would facilitate each other in research, focusing mainly on maritime law, maritime security, blue economy, social uplift of coastal communities, challenges to the national coastline and local communities, conservation, and protection of marine flora and fauna, oceanography and maritime tourism.

During the meeting, emphasis was laid on initiating dialogues on to maritime affairs among scholars, experts, and policymakers to generate discussions on maritime awareness as well as socio-economic challenges faced by coastal communities for the benefit of policy circles and masses in general.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 1^st, 2022.