KARACHI, Dec 11: Pakistan and India have finalised a draft agreement which will pave the way to restart a ferry service between Karachi and Mumbai that was broken off 30 years ago, officials said Sunday. The two countries agreed on a draft on Saturday to revise a shipping protocol between them after three days of talks here, Anwer Shah, director-general of ports and shipping ministry told AFP.

The revised protocol would allow Pakistan and India to lift third country’s cargo from each other’s ports, he said.

The protocol would be signed after completion of formalities by the two governments, he said but gave no specific date.

“With our agreement to delete contentious parts of the old document (1975 protocol) we have agreed to provide freedom of navigation to lift third country’s cargo from each other ports,” Mr Shah said. “Thus, we have successfully removed the final obstacle in the way of the ferry service.”

“We have done at least 90 per cent of work and now it is up to the cabinets of the two countries to formally endorse it,” he said.

“We pointed out difficulties to the Indian counterparts vis-a-vis Pakistani seafarers for joining their vessels from Indian ports that has been acknowledged by the Indian delegation,” he said.

“It (the protocol) would benefit thousands of Pakistani seafarers,” he said.