BEING a representative of Pakistani seafarers and the General Secretary of the Marine Academy Old Boys Association (MAcOBA), I would like to bring to the notice of the minister for ports and shipping and the minister for overseas Pakistanis the fact that in recent years Pakistani seamen are facing difficulties in joining their nominated ships at foreign ports.

This has caused reduction in employment of our seamen on foreign ships and huge losses to the national exchequer as their contribution in foreign earnings for our country has considerably fallen.

Pakistani seafarers are competent, healthy and hard-working; their worth has been recognised by the shipping community of the world for many years. Most of the foreign ship-owners would prefer employing them but they fear the restrictions in visas for the travelling of our seamen.

Owing to security reasons and the geopolitical situation in and around our country, European ship-owners would prefer to avoid employing our seamen. The visa restrictions for Pakistani seafarers are now causing all the ship-owners to think twice before offering on-board employment to our seamen.

Therefore, Pakistani seafarers are having limited choices, and the options available are most of the time with unscrupulous ship-owners on substandard ships where suffering takes the lead in comparison to earnings and comforts.

Our government has much to do in this regard and help the community in finding employment abroad and make their travelling easy for joining their ships, as a seaman travelling to join his nominated ship is exempted from visa restrictions, under the Geneva Convention of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO).

We request the authorities concerned to intervene and raise the issue at all forums within their reach. Some of the problems regarding it are as follows:

Friendly countries like Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand, Singapore and Cambodia allowed Pakistani and other seamen to travel on ‘OK to board’ (i.e. without visa) have enforced ‘prior arrival visa’ restriction for Pakistani seamen whereas Indian and other seamen can still travel and join ships without having such a visa.

Also, countries like the UAE, Qatar,Kuwait and China have increased restrictions and requirements before issuing visas to Pakistani seamen. This is causing delays in joining and, therefore, regrets from employers.

Our seamen are admired and employed by our neighbouring country Iran, but the governments of other seafaring nations like India, Sri Lanka, Ukraine and Central Asian Republic States intervene and enter into long-term contracts with Iranian shipping concerns on the highest levels and secure jobs for their seamen, thus pushing ours out from there.

Although our seafarers were preferred by European shipping companies for being non-alcoholic, but the above-mentioned geopolitical situation and the influence of Indian companies keep them from employing our seamen.

Pakistan should ratify the conventions of the IMO regarding seafarers and their travelling, so that our seamen are also exempted from transit visas at European airports. Our government should raise the issue of treating our seamen at par with other nations where visa restrictions for travelling and employment are concerned.

Government Shipping Office formalities and restrictions should be reduced and made free and friendly for our seafarers in order to expedite their travelling and joining ships. The government should look into the matter as soon as possible to revive the employment and earnings of Pakistani seafarers.

CAPT ALI ASGHAR KHAN General Secretary Marine Academy Old Boys Association Karachi