Islamabad, February 24, 2026: The 13th meeting of the Standing Committee on Maritime Affairs of the National Assembly was held at Parliament House on Monday under the chairmanship of Abdul Qadir Patel, MNA.
The meeting began with recitation from the Holy Quran, followed by collective prayers for martyrs of terrorism incidents across the country and for patience and strength for their bereaved families.
At the outset, the committee expressed concern over the absence of the Secretary of the Ministry of Maritime Affairs (MoMA), directing that any future inability to attend meetings should be intimated in advance to the committee secretariat.
After confirming the minutes of the previous meeting, the committee took up Agenda Item No. 2, reviewing comprehensive reports on the implementation status of earlier recommendations. Members reviewed each recommendation individually and expressed satisfaction over the continued monitoring of outsourced firefighting services by the Karachi Port Trust (KPT). The committee also appreciated KPT’s prompt response in controlling a fire that broke out at the Karachi International Container Terminal (KICT) premises on January 16, 2026.
On the request of the federal minister, the committee decided to issue a letter of appreciation to the Chairman KPT, Rear Admiral Kashif, and the firefighting team for their services.
Discussing the issue of direct procurement of crafts and vessels by KPT from the Karachi Shipyard and Engineering Works, the committee observed that the interpretation of the Prime Minister’s directive by KPT was incorrect and had also misled the committee. The federal minister assured members that, in line with the Prime Minister’s vision, Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PEPRA) rules would be followed in letter and spirit, adding that no violations would be tolerated.
The committee then considered several legislative items, including the Environmentally Sound Management of Inventory of Hazardous Material on Ships Bill, 2025; the Port Qasim Authority (Amendment) Bill, 2025; the Gwadar Port Authority (Amendment) Bill, 2025; and the Karachi Port Trust (Amendment) Bill, 2025. After detailed deliberations, the committee unanimously approved the Environmentally Sound Management of Inventory of Hazardous Material on Ships Bill, 2025, while deferring the remaining bills to the next meeting.
The committee directed the legal department of MoMA and the Ministry of Law and Justice to ensure uniformity across all port-related bills and to incorporate amendments suggested by members.
The meeting was attended by MNAs Malik Shakir Bashir Awan, Romina Khurshid Alam, Isphanyar M. Bhandara, Pullain Baloch, Hassaan Sabir, and Ahmed Atteeq Awan, Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs, along with senior officials from MoMA and representatives of the Port Qasim Authority, KPT, Pakistan National Shipping Corporation, and Gwadar Port Authority.
