Pakistan moots a joint maritime security agency with India

Pakistan has mooted to India the creation of a joint maritime security agency to prevent sea borne terrorist attacks like the one on Mumbai last year that killed 183 people.

The Pakistan navy has suggested the creation of the joint maritime security agency to the government, Naval chief Admiral Noman Bashir told reporters after inaugurating a conference on piracy organised in southern port city of Karachi by the Master Mariners Society of Pakistan.

Replying to a query, Bashir said soon after the Mumbai attacks, the Pakistan Navy had proposed the setting up of the joint maritime force comprising personnel from the two countries. He did not give further details. The 10 terrorists who carried out the Mumbai attacks travelled by sea from Karachi to the Indian financial hub.

Pakistani investigators have seized the boats that were used by the attackers and are currently searching for their crews. The conference on piracy held yesterday was addressed by Pakistani and foreign marine experts, who underlined the need for concerted efforts by the international community to curb crimes on the high seas.

According to them, piracy has intensified to the extent that between January and June this year, pirates hijacked 33 vessels in at least 140 attacks across the globe.