Topic: Are Pakistanis aware of Maritime World?

Name: Falaq Shahid

University: Bahria University, Karachi Campus
Department: BBA

Awareness is the knowledge or perception of a situation or fact. We live in an era

where knowledge is absolute power & it is vital for success. All over the world,
people strive to learn everyday & it is our nature to grow & nurture the human
soul with knowledge. Pakistan was made with the vision that its future generation
would be the pinnacle of honed human potential. But when we look around
ourselves, there is such a massive lack of orientation & awareness that it is heartbreaking.
We are drowning in a pool of ignorance & our basic human instincts have almost
flattened. What is maritime world in Pakistan? Some people would know the
answer to that question & surely they would be right but why is it that our young
generation has no idea of the role that the Navy is playing in protecting us & in
shaping the future of this nation? Why is it that only a handful of us have a fair
idea about the maritime world, its role & tactical value?
Every Pakistani knows the role of our Army & Air Force. These forces are
respected and idolized. But since the Navy is limited to Karachi & Islamabad,
awareness about its role & importance is at best neglected or misunderstood
which has resulted in dreadful disregard of our maritime sector. The problem is
further multiplied by the fact that Pakistan has a coastal belt of 1100km & a major

bulk of Pakistans trade is conducted through sea; making it a major source of

revenue for our countrys economy. Worlds 97 percent & Pakistans 95 percent
trade takes place through sea. I remember listening to Vice Admiral I.F. Qadir HI
(M) Ex Vice Chief of Naval Staff in the auditorium of my university on World
Maritime Day (25th September, 2013) that the Maritime Sector of Pakistan is not
only about Pakistan Navy, Merchant Navy or fisheries; it is our linkage with the
rest of the world. Personally, I couldnt agree with him more. Many experts have
stated that lack of maritime awareness is one of the most basic challenges that
Pakistan is facing.
The importance of Sea power cannot be overemphasized. Land & sea both have
their own value. Hence, we can effortlessly say that they are like the vital organs
of the same body; one cannot function properly without the other. I took the
liberty of asking some people what they knew about the Maritime World. Most of
them did not have a proper answer but thankfully, everyone knew that it is
related to the sea.
Therefore let me shed some light on the constituents which make up this
wonderfully distinct sector. The maritime world is composed of organizations &
activities such as maritime transportation, the naval industry (naval engineering,

shipbuilding companies & the component supply sector), commercial fishing,

aquaculture industry, the cruise & recreational sector, water sports, commercial
ports & marinas, marine energy sources, navies, marine & ocean research
sciences, maritime training academies & training centers, a broad assortment of
professional services related to the maritime activities, professional associations,
trade unions & organizations supporting the rights & interests of seafarers &
maritime professionals.
The maritime sector is as diverse as the ocean but our ability to develop it has
been handicapped due to many factors. Had it been any other country, our
resources would have been fully utilized perhaps even exhausted by now. Not
many years ago, it made sense for us to have only one operational seaport,
limited number of ships & navy personnel but now due to the population increase
& economic factors, it is imperative that we develop other avenues otherwise our
daily life operations would continue to suffer. Lets examine why the Maritime
World is important for us:
The geographic position of Pakistan is very strategic & gives her the benefit
to dominate the main routes across Arabian Sea.

 Pakistans coastline can be developed into tourist resorts due to its breathtaking beauty & warm waters, ports & industrial sites.
The Exclusive Economic Zone of Pakistan is larger than any of her provinces
(spread over 240,000 Sq. Km). It is still waiting for the availability &
accessibility of resources for the development of its true potential.
A major portion of the future oil trade from the Gulf could be dominated by
Pakistan if Gwadar port is completed. Gwadar port would also take increase
our storage and loading capacity.
Our exports/imports are mainly dependent on the sea routes.
The defense of the country heavily depends upon our Navy.
This sector employs thousands of Pakistanis in various jobs.
Maritime World in Pakistan started priming in 1971 & since then it has come a
long way. Joint drills, formulation of a variety of mutual doctrines & tri-force
strategies as well as increased interaction in different forums has led to its better
understanding by the other two services. However, the masses remain unaware
of its strategic role during times of peace as well as war. For a state where trade is
so heavily imbedded with the sea, it is rather dangerous to continue this way. To

make matters even worse, the youth prefers opting for the Army or Air Force at
thrice the rate as it does for Navy. In my opinion, this is an alarming situation.
There are numerous reasons for the lack of maritime orientation in our nation.
The reasons cover a wide spectrum ranging from demographic & socio-economic
factors on one side & the non-availability of technological resources on the other.
Our inability to develop our maritime sector in the past 67 years has led to a
serious downfall of our economy. We may have to pay a steeper price in the near
future if appropriate steps are not taken to redeem this situation. But before
discussing the possible solutions for our problem, we need to take a deeper look
into the root causes of our failure. Some of them are discussed below:
Innate Characteristic: According to the history of subcontinent, there is no
mention that the seas were used to for trade or any other expeditions.
Hindu mythology explains that Seeta was rescued by Raam through Lanka.
Except for that, there is no other record showing that our forefathers were
fully aware of the potential of sea. Therefore, it is clear that subconsciously
we give much more importance to land & our focus has always been
towards nurturing our land resources.

 Lack of Exposure: Most of the Pakistani nation has not been exposed to sea
due to the distance between Karachi & other areas. The coastline in
Baluchistan is scantly populated because most people want to live in areas
with better resources. Due to lack of proper infrastructure, our coastline
areas are underdeveloped. Even our high-ranking officials have limited
knowledge & exposure to the sea therefore the thinking is land-oriented.
Educational flaw: Awareness mostly comes through education. Schools
play the most important role in this regard. Since most of our history
lessons are about mans journey on land, sea exploits which have shaped
our history are rather neglected & forgotten. The result of this negligence is
that most of us have grown up with almost of no idea about the Maritime
sector & its importance.
Monetary restraints: This is one of the biggest reasons for handicapping
Pakistan to develop its maritime sector. Since its birth, Pakistan faced
troublesome monetary issues. The defense of the nation was at stake
therefore much focus was shifted to protecting & defending our coastline
from external forces. Developing a Naval force is more expensive than the
Army or Air Force. But in this process, revenue generating sources such as
ports, harbors & ships took a back seat. Our successive governments failed

to secure the necessary funds & steps that would ensure that our Maritime
world is top-notch. Our defense positioning also needs to be stronger
keeping in view the ever changing geopolitical & geostrategic stance of
Pakistan. A change in the attitude of our politicians & government is more
important than ever.
Lack of infrastructure: Our coastal areas lack the basic facilities &
communication networks such as clean drinking water, roads, electricity,
mobile network coverage, internet facilities, schools, colleges, hospitals etc
without which communities cant flourish. The infrastructure is so poor in
these areas that fish captured from the sea cant even reach the local
markets in time due to which the fishermen have no source of income left.
Outdated Maritime Legislation: Pakistan is still following centuries-old
shipping policies. The current decree of Pakistan on Carriage of Goods by
Sea was formulated in 1925 and the Bill of Lading Act was approved in
1856. Industry experts and professionals advice that these laws must be
updated because most of the clauses and provisions are outdated. Only the
holders of the Bill of Lading have the required legal coverage. Maritime
Legislation needs to be modernized keeping in view the present shipping
practices.

 Gwadar Port: If the port of Gwadar had been functional by now, Pakistans
economy would not be in misery. If it had been developed around the same
time as Dubai, Dubai would not be where it is right now. Gwadar has more
strategic value than the Gulf. For example, development of this port would
be a sensational advantage to the Asian countries (esp. China). It is also
ideal for empty oil tankers moving towards the Gulf to stop at Gwadar for
repair, maintenance & reloading. Gwadar port needs to be a top priority
which will spread awareness in far-flung areas of Baluchistan. The
importance of this port cant be underestimated.
I have discussed in depth about the current situation of Maritime Awareness in
Pakistan therefore I would also like to present some solutions to address this
problem.
Starting from the basic level, we need to add maritime courses in the core
curriculum of schools so that our youth would learn & have a basic
understanding of the importance of this sector right from the start.
Orientation of the young generation is necessary if we want to take a step
further.

 Our youth needs to have a basic understanding about the different

dimensions covered by the sector. Spreading awareness among university
students could be done through seminars & workshops which should cover
the following aspects: Navy & Defense, Shipping & its Significance, Cargo
Handling, Ports & their development, Maritime Research, Practitioners &
Documentation used in the industry.
In addition to that, igniting the thought process of youngsters in areas like
Marine Environmental Management, Maritime Administration, Maritime
Technology & Education, Maritime Risk & System Safety, Maritime Energy,
Maritime Safety & Environmental Administration, Marine Environmental &
Ocean Management, Maritime Law & Policy, Port Management, Shipping
Management & Logistics, & International Transport logistics would
encourage them to probe further into these areas. Any of the above
mentioned subjects can be added in the curriculum of universities so as to
instill a sense of empowerment in the students & introduce them to a new
career path. Its not necessary to be enrolled in the Navy to learn about our
Maritime sector.

 Another thing that can be done is promotion of Maritime Sector on local

television channels. This is one of the simplest ways of communicating with
the masses & arousing their curiosity to know more.
We can create a society to spread Maritime Awareness. The aim of this
society will be to give Maritime World experts a forum to disseminate
important information, promote literature about the industry, & introduce
special educational courses & other development programs. Anyone will be
able to become part of the society as long as they are devoted to support
the cause. Social Media can play a vital role in the promotion of this idea.
It is also possible to set up a National Maritime Committee. This Authoritys
main objective would be to spread awareness in the existing sectors of
Maritime World & take initiatives to bring in new talent. It would be
responsible for making recommendations to the government on aspects of
education, awareness and orientation of the nation regarding the Maritime
World.
The last suggestion that I would like to present is the most unique of all &
will create ripples across Pakistan if considered. A company operating in
Karachi with the name of TEXT Pvt. Limited can help create thorough
understanding of Maritime World at national level. The aim of this business

is to spread awareness & promote brands & other institutions through text
messages. Pakistanis send texts more than they answer calls, watch
television, read newspapers or surf the internet. Any sector of the Maritime
world can start working with this company & perhaps NCMPR would be the
best option. The outcome is simple; people all over Pakistan will receive
text messages regarding the Maritime World and its role in Pakistans past,
present & future. In addition to that, we can tell them about the job
opportunities available in the sector, general facts & figures, sea warnings,
education options, Maritime organizations, recreational facilities and what
not. It is better to say that the possibilities here are endless.
In conclusion, it is appropriate to say that a complete insight about the
significance of maritime sector requires a realistic approach & is as imperative a
national requirement as the safeguard of our vital sea trade routes that come
under the watch of Pakistan navy. Although there were other considerations,
however, it was this instinctive fear of lack of awareness, poor representation of
the naval services & disregard for our natural blessings that urged the Navy to
stretch its operations to Islamabad. This has had a profound effect on the masses
that are in the process of understanding the role of the Maritime sector in a
better way. We can only wish that this process would not stop here & that the

Navy would be able to integrate all provinces of Pakistan & will be successful in
spreading awareness across all spheres.
Long live Pakistan!

References:
http://www.thesaurus.com/browse/awareness?s=t
http://www.ips.org.pk/whats-new/92-seeminar/1713-ips-seminar-maritimeawareness-for-pakistan-must-to-exploit-potential-experts
http://www.defencejournal.com/2000/mar/maritime.htm
http://www.defencejournal.com/2000/oct/maritime.htm
http://defence.pk/threads/pakistan-navy-news-discussions.41/page-25
http://www.windrosenetwork.com/Maritime-Sector.html
http://forum.pakistanidefence.com/index.php?showtopic=28656
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/Society-for-spreading-maritimeawareness-amongst-the-common-masses/articleshow/30849803.cms
http://www.ics.org.uk/learning/maritime-world-explained
http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-3-38626-Pakistan-to-updateshipping-laws