Pakistan seeks joint ventures in ports infrastructure projects

Karachi: Pakistan is looking for joint ventures with other regional ports like the Far Eastern and Persian Gulf to boost trade and improve logistics infrastructure for international trade.

Ports and Shipping Secretary Muhammad Zia-ur-Rehman stated this at the opening ceremony of international conference of International Association of Ports and Harbours (IAPH), organised by the Karachi Port Trust (KPT) here on Tuesday. He appreciated the efforts of KPT to host such a mega event in the country.

Pakistan is following the landlord port concept which allows private sector to operate port-related facility and the port authority act as a regulator, he added.

He said the national carriage would increase by 70 million tonnes annually from existing 50 million tonnes. There is a need to build an efficient logistics infrastructure to cater to such situation, he said.

He said the Central Asian countries need a route to export their rich natural resources in the international market