Govt urged to raise issue at world level

KARACHI - The Mater Mariner Society (MMS) of Pakistan urged the Minister Ports and Shipping to raise the issue of violation of international maritime laws by NATO war ship that allegedly attacked M.V. QSM Dubai in which the Master of the Ship Capt. M Jaffer Jafri was killed. The Society in its communiqu to Babar Ghouri said that the DG P&S is the focal point of International Maritime Organisation (IMO) therefore the office should approach IMO to change the Law/Pronto before any more killings occur, as the law prevents acting firmly against the pirates. The Combined Joint Task Force (CJTF) and International Maritime Bureau along with NATO and Somalian forces are responsible for this deplorable incident and the government of Pakistan has lost its one worthy master mariner, the letter said. The society further said that the said joint task force in which the navies of all the countries included has violated the laws of International maritime organisation which prevent killing of crew or pirates once the ship is cordoned, despite the fact that the forces are responsible for the safety of merchant vessels. A copy of letter available with The Nation disclosed that a Pakistani master of the ship was killed by pirates and subsequently Somalian forces stormed the ship with the assistance of American/Nato warship. They further said that the attack of NATO warship along with Somalian forces is the clear violation of laws of International Maritime Organisation (IMO) which resulted in the sad demise of a Pakistani master mariner; therefore, the Ministry should raise this issue with IMO and also give death compensation to the family of the master. The sad part of the story is that the Director General Ports and Shipping has not yet communicated with the grieved family, so the Minister should instruct DG Office to coordinate with the family members of the family, the letter further said. The letter added that the DG P&S is the regulator of all Shipping/Recruiting Agents based in Pakistan thus the lack lustre attitude of the is highly deplorable while the family is running from pillar to post to retrieve the information. Moreover, the office of DG P&S must issue a proper warning to all merchant mariners joining vessels which may be coasting around the Somalian Coast to avoid further casualties.