Planning minister for boosting port efficiency

Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives, Ahsan Iqbal chaired a high-level consultative meeting on enhancing the efficiency of Karachi ports by improving hinterland connectivity in Islamabad on Friday.

Representatives from maritime affairs, railways, communications, and commerce, along with the Public-Private Partnership Authority (P3A), participated.

Planning Commission’s Waqas Anwar highlighted inefficiencies at Karachi Port, including underutilised rail access and severe road congestion due to limited truck movement.

He noted that Pakistan’s merchandise trade is 26% of GDP, far below the global average of 44%.

To resolve these challenges, the committee recommended short-term measures such as 24/7 port operations and scheduled truck movements.

For the long term, proposals included an elevated expressway and enhanced rail infrastructure to improve cargo transport.

Ahsan Iqbal emphasised the importance of boosting port efficiency for economic growth.

A newly formed committee will present a consensus-based plan within two weeks to implement these measures.