A major reform push in Pakistan’s maritime sector has reached a key milestone, with the Prime Minister’s Task Force on Maritime Reforms completing 85 out of 99 recommended action points aimed at modernising ports, shipping, fisheries, and related infrastructure.

The reforms are being implemented through a dedicated Reform Implementation Committee established in December 2024 under the task force. The committee brings together experts from the Ministry of Defence, maritime and logistics sectors, including the National Logistics Cell (NLC), along with representatives from other relevant institutions involved in port and trade operations.

According to officials, the task force initially proposed 99 reforms covering port master planning, shipping operations, shipbuilding, ship recycling, and fisheries development. Of these, 85 have been fully implemented within approximately 18 months, while 11 are in the final stages and 3 remain under long-term execution plans.

Key completed measures include the preparation of a national ports master plan, the introduction of a uniform port tariff system, and improvements in transit trade procedures. Authorities also cited expanded port capacity planning, upgraded monitoring systems for economic zones, and the removal of encroachments from Karachi Port land as part of the implemented reforms.

Other steps include the introduction of updated customs rules for transshipment and bunkering operations, as well as initiatives to strengthen local shipbuilding and repair industries. The government has also restarted ship recycling activities after an eight-year gap.

In the fisheries sector, a five-year provincial development plan has been finalized to support long-term growth. Separately, a new institutional arrangement — the National Dredging and Marine Services — has been established to reduce reliance on external dredging capacity and support maritime self-sufficiency.

Officials said the reform programme is intended to improve efficiency, strengthen maritime infrastructure, and support long-term economic competitiveness in the sector.

Also Read : PM Shehbaz Sharif launches Rs3.2 trillion ‘Apna Ghar’ program to build 500,000 homes