NA Body Rejects Proposal 'Hajj Pilgrimage Through Sea'

National Assembly standing committee on Maritime Affairs has rejected the proposal of starting Hajj pilgrimage through sea due to its impracticability, considering the financial cost, transportation time, and other logistical challenges

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 18th May, 2023 ) :National Assembly standing committee on Maritime Affairs has rejected the proposal of starting Hajj pilgrimage through sea due to its impracticability, considering the financial cost, transportation time, and other logistical challenges.

The Maritime Ministry tabled the proposal before the Senate body, which met on Thursday under the chairmanship of Mir Amer Ali Khan Magsi.

During the meeting, the committee recommended that the establishments, airport and infrastructure around the vicinity of Gawadar to be named after the persons, who played an important role for the acquisition of Gawadar port from Oman as they were the national heroes.

Responding to the briefing on provincial job quotas in the Maritime Ministry, the body expressed concerns regarding the disproportionately low quotas for Balochistan and Sindh, while high quota for Punjab.

The members emphasized that the quotas for Sindh and Balochistan must be increased, as Maritime Affairs holds greater relevance for littoral areas.

The Ministry on-boarded the Committee upon multiple land litigation cases of Karachi Port Trust, and put a way forward for the resolution of the issue of encroachment upon the land belonging to Karachi Port Trust.

Furthermore, the Committee also directed the Ministry to check upon the feasibility of introduction of a ferry service from Karachi to Chabahar.

The meeting was attended by the members of national assembly including Azhar Qayyum Nahra, Seema Mohiuddin Jameeli, Kamal Uddin, Mohammad Aslam Bhootani, Rana Muhammad Qasim Noon and Mir Khan Muhammad Jamali.