Karachi Port operations fully restore, after protest called off

KARACHI: The port operations at the Karachi seaport have fully restored after the fishermen called off their protest, ARY News reported on Thursday.

Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Maritime Affairs Mahmood Moulvi has stated that the arrival of ships from the Port’s outer channel and departure from berths has restored. “Since 7:00am this morning nine ships have arrived or departed from the port,” Moulvi said.

“The shipping schedule was suspended at the port for 28 hours owing to closure of the shipping channel,” the government official said.

“The shipping channel opened after successful talks with the fishermen. The port operations have now fully restored,” he added.

The fishermen yesterday called off their protest at the shipping channel of Karachi Port after negotiations with the Ministry of Maritime Affairs.

The removed their boats to end the blockage of the port’s shipping channel after assurances by the Maritime Affairs ministry.

The protesting fishermen had parked more than 2,000 boats to close the shipping channel of the port effectively halting the movement of the cargo ships.

Earlier, the fishermen’s protest crippled the oil terminal’s operations at Karachi Port. The fishermen of the Sindh province were protesting over the ban on fishing in Balochistan waters.

The protest leaders had said that the Sindh’s fishermen were not being allowed to go to Balochistan waters. “We will not open the channel before approval of our demands,” fishermen said. They had demanded a written guarantee before the end of their protest.