KARACHI: "At least 20,000 Pakistani seafarers are out of jobs due to non-compliance with International Labour Conventions and non-ratification of MLC 2006. Pakistan was third maritime labour supplier country in world. Shipping used to provide highly paid jobs to Pakistani seafarers not only in Pakistan but even outside of Pakistan. Over time, due to lack of interest in employment of seafarers and upgrading national shipping standards of Pakistan, foreign exchange earnings reduced and employment of Pakistani seafarers has been greatly affected. Pakistan has to take steps without any ado to ratify MLC 2006 and implement it."

Aga Faquir Mohammad, senior Advocate Supreme Court of Pakistan and expert on international maritime affairs disclosed this while talking to National Courier exclusively.

He said that Pakistan Legal Awareness Trust in 2018 invited attention of government towards promulgation of Pakistan Merchant Shipping Ordinance, 2001 (MSO, 2001) consolidating and amending merchant shipping laws whereby e-Article of Agreement with crew for serving Pakistani ships was non-existent. Then prevalent procedure of signing on/signing-off Article of Agreement under repealed Merchant Shipping Act, 1923 creates hurdles for Pakistani seafarers serving on foreign flag ships.

Pakistan Legal Awareness Trust urged the Minister of Maritime Affairs to form a committee consisting of senior masters, engineers, maritime lawyers and high officials of Ministry of Maritime Affairs to investigate causes that are damaging employment of Pakistani seafarers in their employment on foreign flag ships; to investigate whether any person or persons appearing in electronic seafarers' database are qualified to be seafarers having valid documents; to investigate reasons for non-ratification of MLC 2006 by Pakistan and to determine causes for delaying introduction of e-Article of Agreement. Government embraced practice of e-Article of Agreement in year 2020 but delayed ratification of MLC, veteran lawyer said.

Pakistan Legal Awareness Trust emphasised ratification of MLC 2006 that special consideration is given to updating national laws as per latest Seafarers' Identity Documents Convention, 2003 (ILO C-185). Director General, Port and Shipping Wing decided to form a committee for updating rules, regulations, and laws to examine and reframe agreements to make it in entire confirmation of SEA and MLC 2006.

Federal Cabinet in a meeting held in March 2020 reviewed 39 ILO instruments and recommended ratifying four new ILO Conventions including MLC 2006.

Subsequently, Ministry of Overseas Pakistani and HRD through letter No 4-27/2015-ILO-I, April 15, 2020, requested ILO for technical support in undertaking a gap analysis before a formal decision to ratify MLC Convention14.

Aga Faquir further disclosed that all countries sharing coastal borders with Pakistan have ratified MLC 2006 except our country. Ratification of MLC will ensure rights and well-being of Pakistani seafarers as well as growth of national maritime industry. Shipping and labour experts together with ship owners' representatives have to go through these laws in order to amend national laws and rules not conflicting with standards of MLC 2006 for betterment of Pakistani seafarers, senior lawyer added.

Published in The Daily National Courier, November, 19 2022

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