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ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s government has approved Rs12 billion [$42 million] to transform a key ship-breaking yard in the country’s southwestern Balochistan province into a “model green facility” to reduce pollution and manage hazardous waste, the maritime affairs ministry said on Wednesday.

Gadani in Balochistan once used to be one of the world’s main destinations for end-of-life vessels. Here, old and decommissioned ships were regularly dismantled and their parts, especially steel, were recycled, reused or resold. 

Business at the shipyard has declined in recent years as Pakistan navigates a tricky path to recovery from a prolonged macroeconomic crisis. The ship-breaking industry has also taken a hit due to worldwide calls to stop beach scrapping because of the danger and environmental damage from pollutants left to drain into the sea. Workers, earning as little as $4 a day here, face health hazards such as exposure to lead paint and asbestos when working on ships.

“Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs, Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry has announced the approval of Rs12 billion for the transformation of Gadani Ship-Breaking Yard into a model green facility, aligning the maritime sector with international climate and environmental standards,” the ministry said. 

Chaudhry, chairing a meeting to discuss the ship-breaking yard, stressed the need for ship recycling to evolve to meet global sustainability standards. He added the transformation is essential to reduce pollution, manage hazardous waste responsibly and contribute to a greener maritime future.

“The minister said this major initiative focuses not only on modernizing infrastructure and safety mechanisms but also on addressing the climate crisis through green shipping and environmentally responsible ship recycling,” the statement added. 

Pakistan is consistently ranked among the world’s worst-affected countries due to climate change effects. Pakistan has regularly experienced irregular weather patterns such as heatwaves and unusually heavy rains that have triggered flash floods across the country. 

Syed Zafar Ali Shah, the secretary of maritime affairs, said a 30-bed hospital, residential blocks for medical staff and labor colonies will be constructed as part of the social uplift component of the project.

The official said that 32 kilometers of road, a school, a public park and modern water supply and treatment systems will be installed to support the workforce and local community in Gadani as part of the project.

Pakistan became a party to the 2009 Hong Kong Convention in December 2023, which aims to improve hazardous working conditions in ship recycling facilities worldwide. 

The minister stressed that the Hong Kong International Convention for the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships (HKC) must be strictly observed. He instructed authorities to put in place a “robust monitoring mechanism” to ensure transparency and timely implementation of the project.

Chaudhry noted that Gadani produces over 1.2 million tons of steel annually, making it a critical part of Pakistan’s scrap and steel supply chain. 

“Gadani was once among the world’s largest ship-breaking hubs,” Chaudhry noted. “Today, it stands at a crossroads— either we modernize it in line with green shipping goals or risk further decline.”

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Meteorological Department on Wednesday clarified there was no immediate threat of a major earthquake in Karachi, assuring citizens there was nothing unusual about several low-magnitude tremors felt in the city since June 1.

Pakistan’s southern port city of Karachi experienced 57 low-magnitude tremors from June 1 which ranged from 1.5 to 3.8 on the Richter scale. The PMD has attributed the seismic swarm to the activation of a fault line in the city’s Landhi area. 

The frequent tremors in Karachi triggered panic among citizens on social media, who wondered whether the minor quakes were about to be followed by a major one.

The PMD mentioned that Karachi lies near the junction of the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates, where small-scale stress accumulation can occasionally lead to such minor seismic releases. It said these tremors are considered “normal geological phenomena” in tectonically active zones and do not indicate an impending major earthquake.

“At this stage, based on data and patterns observed, no immediate threat of a major earthquake has been identified,” the PMD said in a press release. 

The PMD said similar to all seismically active regions, occasional mild tremors can continue to occur. It added that its team is continuously analyzing seismic data to ensure any unusual activity is detected in real-time.

It said most of the tremors occurred at shallow depths which were up to 70 kilometers, which is why they were felt by residents in various parts of the city. 

“Local conditions, including soft soil, land reclamation, and unregulated groundwater extraction, may also influence how the shaking is felt at the surface,” the PMD said, urging the public not to panic. 

The PMD advised the masses to remain informed through official channels only and avoid spreading unverified news or rumors that can cause unnecessary alarm.

“Avoid sharing or amplifying such claims, as they can cause panic and confusion,” it said. “Rely only on information issued through official PMD channels.”