Cabinet Committee grants approval for UAE to build cargo terminal at Karachi Port

The Cabinet Committee on Inter-Governmental Commercial Transactions has granted approval for the proposed collaboration between Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) aimed at establishing a bulk and general cargo terminal at East Wharf, Karachi Port.

Before the agreement is finalised, it will undergo ratification by the federal cabinet, following which the governments of Pakistan and UAE will officially sign it. The draft agreement, which has been endorsed by the cabinet committee, encompasses various essential aspects.

These include the terms and conditions of the agreement, the cost estimation for the terminal’s reconstruction, the terminal’s expected lifespan, its maximum cargo handling capacity, the dimensions of the quality wall, royalty details, land rent per square meter in the bonded areas, storage charges, dock labour charges, upfront payment arrangements (adjustable and non-adjustable), as well as the quantum and type of investment involved.

The Cabinet Committee on Inter-Governmental Commercial Transactions meeting, where the draft agreement received approval, was chaired by Finance Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar on Monday.

The committee’s decision was based on a summary presented by the Ministry of Maritime Affairs, which outlined the proposed government-to-government agreement between UAE and Pakistan for fostering cooperation in the development of the bulk and general cargo terminal at Karachi Port’s East Wharf. The agreement operates under the framework of the Inter-Governmental Commercial Transaction Act 2022, as indicated by the Ministry of Finance.