PM Nawaz welcomes proposal of Karachi-Muscat ferry service

[Dawood Ibrahim]

• National

46 MINS AGO BY APP

Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif on Thursday welcomed the proposal to start a ferry service between Karachi, Gwadar and Oman’s capital Muscat.

“This initiative will start a new chapter of friendship between both countries,” the Prime Minister said in a meeting with State Council of Oman President Dr Yahya Mahfoodh Salim Al-Manthri here at the PM House.

The prime minister said the ferry service would provide an affordable alternative source of movement for a large number of people who move on these routes on regular basis.

He said Pakistan and Oman are natural allies due to geographical proximity and the leadership, government and the people of Pakistan hold Sultan Qaboos bin Said Al-Said and the brotherly people of Oman in high esteem.

The prime minister said Pakistan was grateful to Oman for its support in connection with Pakistan-GCC Free Trade Agreement.

On people-to-people contacts, the prime minister expressed satisfaction that Oman was hosting a sizeable Pakistani diaspora working in various sectors.

Pakistan can further provide both un-skilled and highly professional manpower in various fields including medicine, engineering, information technology, accountancy, education and technical workers, he added.

The prime minister said both countries could benefit immensely through mutual exchange of experts in the field of education, and science and technology.

He invited investment by Oman in energy-related projects, infrastructure development and consumer based industry.

Omani delegation comprised Sheikh Hamed Mohammed Abdallah Bahwan Al Mukhaini, member of the Education and Research Committee; Mohamed Ahmed Ali Al Rawas, member of the Culture Media and Tourism Committee; Dr. Ahmed Sulaiman Saleh Al-Maimani, member of the Economic Committee; Wafa Salim Ali Al Harrasi, Deputy Chairman of the Social Committee, and Dr. Aisha Ahmed Yousuf Al Washahi, Member of the Social Committee.

Mian Raza Rabbani, Chairman Senate of Pakistan, Senator Taj Haider and other senior officials were also present.

Read more: Pakistan to start international ferry service

http://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/201...mes-proposal-of-karachi-muscat-ferry-service/

@war&peace @Khafee @El_Swordsmen @SherDil007

 

[Dawood Ibrahim]

If it happens it would be a nice move i will definitely want to try it

 

[SherDil]

If it happens it would be a nice move i will definitely want to try it

Travel time??

 

[Dawood Ibrahim]

Travel time??

What do you mean time travel. The will use ferry to travel from oman to Pakistan and its good way of tourism because oman is also a good place to visit i want to Musandam good area near UAE boder

 

[Naara-e-Mastana]

Travel time??

Maybe 3 to 4 hours . it take 2 hours to reach Gwadar from Karachi ( by ship ).

 

[ali_raza]

i will definitely travel through that.i live in muscat

 

[Jinn Baba]

Maybe 3 to 4 hours . it take 2 hours to reach Gwadar from Karachi ( by ship ).

No way, will be a lot longer than 2 hours.

 

[Hosh Muhammad]

Travel time??

inshallah if the task is accomplished and succesfully operational; it will take 6-8 hours to reach at the destination

 

[Sugarcane]

No way, will be a lot longer than 2 hours.

By Air it takes 1.5 hours

 

[Khafee]

Good move, if the cost is half of air fare, why not.

I think these fast ferries will be used:

http://www.nfc.om/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=73&Itemid=470

 

[TOPGUN]

Very good news , would love to try it when I go back to Pakistan.

 

[YeBeWarned]

Full Titanic Feeling with Local/Desi Biwi

 

[Jinn Baba]

Trucks from Pak can load at Karachi or Gwadar and travel to GCC countries like Dover and calais connecting UK to mainland Europe.

Possible, or wishful thinking?

 

[Kambojaric]

No way, will be a lot longer than 2 hours.

The Swedish city where I live is around 150 km from a Danish city called Frederikshavn. The ferry between these cities which runs every day takes around 3-4 hours. The distance between Karachi and Muscat is 874 km so even with a faster ferry its taking half a day at least (probably more).

 

[Flash_Ninja]

Trucks from Pak can load at Karachi or Gwadar and travel to GCC countries like Dover and calais connecting UK to mainland Europe.

Possible, or wishful thinking?

The distance between Dover and Calais is 33 KM and takes 90 minutes by Ferry, and is also connected by rail.

Distance between Gwadar and Muscat is 430 KM.

I dont know what route the current cargo takes but if I had to guess, I'd say it goes by air, or goes overland to Iran and then crosses over to the UAE, or just straight from Karachi to wherever.

All of these routes sound costly, and in the gulf states fuel is very cheap. Perhaps it may be more cost-effective to ship via ferry, and transport over land once over, I think it would most likely depend on how much the operators want to charge and how long the crossing takes.

Maybe if the ferry line was subsidized by the government, and had frequent crossings it may be possible, especially for businesses in Baluchistan that don't want to spend money transporting goods by road over vast distances to Karachi or Iran.