KARACHI: The three-day Pakistan International Maritime Exhibition and Conference (PIMEC) concludes here on Sunday at the Karachi Expo Centre.

The conference, organised by the Pakistan Navy, began on Feb 10 with the commencement of multinational maritime exercise Aman2023 which will conclude on Tuesday (tomorrow).

Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Amjad Khan Niazi, Vice Chief of Naval Staff Vice Admiral Faisal Rasul Lodhi, other senior officers of the Pakistan Navy and representatives of 50 countries participated in the PIMEC.

Speaking as the chief guest at the closing session, Maritime Affairs Minister Syed Faisal Ali Sabzwari highlighted that the navy had beenthe driving force to spearhead dynamic initiatives in the maritime domain as it rendered invaluable services for the socio-economic uplift of coastal areas.

He underlined that the government was launching new projects for beneficial collaborations and successful maritime business partnerships.

He added that recommendations of the conference would provide guidelines to embark on profitable initiatives for accelerating the development of the maritime sector and conducting the next PIMEC in 2025.

Earlier, Commander Karachi Rear Admiral Mian Zakirullah Jan extended profound appreciation to the visiting delegates, scholars and experts on maritime affairs and the valued exhibitors for their forthcoming participation and dynamic presence during the event.

He also emphasised that Pakistan`s ocean-based industry would come together, exchange ideas and create new avenues for the prosperous future of Pakistan`s blue economy though the PIMEC.

He also praised the efforts of the National Institute of Maritime Affairs (NIMA) for the successfulconduct of the conference.

The conference was attended by a large number of dignitaries from across the globe, officers from the defence forces of Pakistan and friendly countries, academia, media representatives and researchers from local and international thinl( tanks.

Mushahid presents five-point plan for economic uplift `Other than having blue economy, marine and mineral resources and the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor [CPEC], building on a strategic partnership between Pakistan, China and Saudi Arabia would also play as a catalyst for an alternative development approach that can help bid goodbye to the International Monetary Fund [IMFj,` said Senate`s Defence Committee chairman Senator Mushahid Hussain Syed while proposing a five-point action plan to promote blue economy in Pakistan.

He was speaking on the third and final day of the PIMEC here on Sunday.

Senator Mushahid, who chaired two sessions of the PIMEC, said that it`s now clear that Pakistan needed a new development path. He focused on exploring and exploiting marine resources by a strategy for the blue economy, which, according to the World Bank, has resources worth at least $100 billion.

He said that 50,000 square kilometers were added to Pakistan`s continental shelf as an exclusive economic zone in 2015. It is a huge mass of water, almost like a fifth province.

`Added to this maritime economy is the immense mineral wealth, huge reserves of natural gas and 175 billion tons of coal in Tharparl(ar, all of which cumulatively add up to a hidden wealth of almost a $1 trillion [one trillion dollars], that has not been tapped at all due to an absence of policy on these areas,` the senator pointed out before calling for an alternative economic uplift strategy through a five-point action plan.

`First, the government should immediately establish a national authority for blue economy to prepare a comprehensive strategy that involves the Pakistan Navy, the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and the private sector as principalstakeholders.

`Second, the Ministry of Maritime Af fairs should have a secretary from the Pakistan Navy, like the Ministry of Defence has a secretary from the Pakistan Army. It will make the Ministry of Maritime Affairs a proactive and pivotal player in the blue economy.

`Third, a special non-governmental task force, comprising experts, academics, think tanks and relevant private sectors, should be established for devising a work plan in 2023 for promoting awareness about the blue economy amongst opinion leaders and relevantstakeholders.

`Fourth, as part of an alternative economic development strategy for Pakistan, develop a linkage between the blue economy, marine and mineral resources, CPEC and TAPI (Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan and India) besides developing triangular relationship between Pakistan, China and Saudi Arabia, so that energy security becomes a key pillar of the blue economy framework.

`Fifth, media mobilisation was a force multiplier for promoting the blue economy and in this regard, media workshops should be organ-ised in Gwadar, Ormara, Keti Bandar and Karachi, so that sea blindness ends with an awareness of the future potential of the blue economy,` said the senator while concluding that adoption of this blueprint for the blue economy would help Pakistan stand on its own feet and bid goodbye to the IMF.

`We have gone to the IMF 23 times in 60 years and this is a tried, tested and failed formula,` he concluded.

Aman-23 activities In tandem with various activities of exercise Aman-23, a maritime counterterrorism demonstration was held at PNS Qasim, Manora on Sunday.

Sindh Governor Kamran Tessori was the chief guest and appreciated the efforts of the navy in conducting the multinational maritime exercise in a befitting manner.

A large number of observers, foreign diplomats, personnel from the participating navies, government officials/civil dignitaries and senior officials of armed forces of Pakistan witnessed the counter terrorism demonstration.