Pakistan grants first-ever license for shipping route to Iran

Pakistan’s Minister for Maritime Affairs, Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry, announced on Monday that the government had approved the issuance of a shipping license to Sea Keepers, an international maritime transport company, allowing it to operate routes linking Pakistan with Iran and Persian Gulf Cooperation Council (PGCC) countries.

The decision was finalized after a high-level committee meeting comprising officials from the ministries of maritime affairs, defense, foreign affairs, and interior, alongside representatives from the Pakistan National Shipping Corporation and port authorities.

Chaudhry described the move as a milestone for Pakistan’s national maritime policy, emphasizing the strategic importance of enhancing regional connectivity, religious tourism, and economic activities through maritime links.

The new shipping service is expected to serve hundreds of thousands of passengers annually, particularly religious pilgrims traveling to Iran and Iraq, as well as workers and tourists heading to PGCC countries./tasnim