At least 21 shipping containers carrying imported cars and freight worth millions of rupees fell into the sea after Hapeg-Lloyd’s ship 8,000-TEU Tolten collided with another vessel 6,350-TEU Hamburg Bay near the South Asia Port Terminal Limited (SAPT) berth on March 19, 2018. Photo: Geo News file

KARACHI: An initial investigation report on Hapeg-Lloyd’s ship 8,000-TEU Tolten collision held captain of the ship responsible for the incident, sources informed Geo News on Monday.



Hapeg-Lloyd’s ship 8,000-TEU Tolten, which was carrying transit-containers, collided with another vessel 6,350-TEU Hamburg Bay near the South Asia Port Terminal Limited (SAPT) berth on March 19. At least 21 containers fell into the sea because of the collision.

The sunken containers were carrying imported cars and freight worth millions of rupees.

The ship's recording revealed that the captain did not issue any directives to prevent the collision.

"The captain's delayed response was the reason behind the incident," the report said.

The report further said that the accident could have been avoided if the Karachi Port had more powerful tugs.

"The Karachi Port should have three tugs, not two," it said.

It also said that the ship's reverse gear did not work at the time of the collision, adding that the ship should have been stopped within two minutes but it kept running till two minutes forty seconds.

It said that the accident happened because of the captain's inability to halt the speed of the ship.</s>KARACHI: An initial investigation report on Hapeg-Lloyd’s ship 8,000-TEU Tolten collision held captain of the ship responsible for the incident, sources informed Geo News on Monday.



Hapeg-Lloyd’s ship 8,000-TEU Tolten, which was carrying transit-containers, collided with another vessel 6,350-TEU Hamburg Bay near the South Asia Port Terminal Limited (SAPT) berth on March 19. At least 21 containers fell into the sea because of the collision.

The sunken containers were carrying imported cars and freight worth millions of rupees.

The ship's recording revealed that the captain did not issue any directives to prevent the collision.

"The captain's delayed response was the reason behind the incident," the report said.

The report further said that the accident could have been avoided if the Karachi Port had more powerful tugs.

"The Karachi Port should have three tugs, not two," it said.

It also said that the ship's reverse gear did not work at the time of the collision, adding that the ship should have been stopped within two minutes but it kept running till two minutes forty seconds.

It said that the accident happened because of the captain's inability to halt the speed of the ship.</s>KARACHI : Mayor Karachi Wasim Akhtar said citizens of Karachi paying the cost of tussle between K-Electric and SSGC.

Besides residential areas, hospitals too facing the dilemma of persistent load shedding. K-Electric, SSGC, KW&SB or whatever organization, they must now take this protest seriously. I appeal to the President of Pakistan to solve the conflict between K-Electric and SSGC for provision of required volume of gas to the power suppliers in the city. At least 200mmcfd gas should be supplied to K-Electric so that current power crisis could be solved.

He expressed these views while addressing to a protest demonstration by the elected local government representatives of Karachi which was held outside the head office of K-Electric (KE) on Tuesday against prolonged load-shedding in the city.

Chairman of DMC East Moeed Anwer, Chairman DMC Korangi Syed Nayyar Raza, Vice Chairman DMC East Abdul Rauf, Vice Chairman DMC Central Syed Shakir Ali, City Council Parliamentary leader Aslam Shah Afridi, Chairman of Land Committee Syed Arshad Hassan, Chairman Law Committee Arif Khan Advocate, City Council Parliamentary leader for PML(N) Aman Khan Afridi, ANP parliamentary leader Alam Zaib Alai, JUI-F parliamentary leader Akbar Shah Hashmi, Shuja Haider Advocate of PTI and other members of city council Karachi and elected representatives were present on this occasion.

The demonstrators were holding placards and banners urging K-Electric to stop persistent load shedding and overbilling in Karachi. They also demanded that cutting of power supply for longer durations throughout the day must stop immediately.

Mayor Karachi said that when it comes to Karachi, Government funds get finished. Not a single project was completed in Karachi in last ten years. He said elected local government representatives have proved their responsibility by joining this protest. So far we have not asked people who voted for us to come here in this hot weather, however someone has to do something for the city.

Later Mayor Karachi Wasim Akhtar leading the protesters went inside the K-Eletric main office and talked to the chief marketing officer Syed Fakhar Alam, director distribution Arshad Iftikhar, director media Sadia Dada, director Rashid Hussain, deputy director protocol Faisal Jahangir and head of HR Rizwan Dalia about prolong load shedding and problems of citizens.

Afterwards while talking to media representatives he said that we have offered K-Electric that many of the issues can be solved on district level also therefore serious efforts and measures should be taken in this connection.

He said we have only this aim to provide relief to the people of Karachi who are suffering due to this situation. He said that Karachi had enough operations and now this city needs development works. K-Electric must overcome this crisis or people of Karachi will have no way but to come on roads to protest against electricity suppliers.

He said we are peaceful citizens, Karachi is the economic hub of the country but the government not paying attention on its issues. Different political outfits ask for votes but not raising any voice for the citizens.

All of Karachi projects are incomplete including K-IV, S-III, Bus rapid transport projects and other projects. Injustice with Karachi must stop now. K-Electric should settle its issues with the SSGC, citizens of Karachi have nothing to do with it and they only need electricity in this acute hot weather especially students who have to appear in the examinations at the centers without electricity. He said these issues must be solved without delay or we will decide our next strategy.</s>KARACHI - City Mayor Wasim Akhtar said on Saturday that Karachi offers vast opportunities for trade and investment because it is a city of nearly 30 million people.

Being the most important city of Pakistan and having the largest port of the country, Karachi provides a trade corridor to Central Asian Republics and other countries of the region, the mayor expressed these views during a meeting with Sri Lankan Federal Minister for Town Planning and Environment Abdul Rauf Hakimki. Karachi and Sri Lankan city of Potalum are close to each other; therefore, they have been declared twin cities, he said.

The Sri Lankan delegation also included Mayor of Potalum Abdul Bais, MNA Muhammad Suleman and MPA Naeemullah. They called on the Karachi mayor on Saturday noon. City Council parliamentary leader Aslam Shah Afridi, Land Committee Chairman Arshad Hassan, Director (Technical) SM Shakaib and others were also present at the meeting.

The city mayor welcomed the Sri Lankan delegation and said that this visit would further strengthen relations between the two countries and create more opportunities for people of Pakistan and Sri Lanka. He said that Karachi too faced terrorism like Sri Lanka in the past, but economic and trade activities got a boost after restoration of law and order in the Sindh capital.

The Sri Lankan federal minister said he brought the message of love, friendship and brotherhood from people of Sri Lanka and he believed that relations between two countries would grow further in the coming years.

The mayor of Potalum said that people of his city have sent good wishes for Karachi.

The mayor of Karachi said various projects were being executed to improve the city's infrastructure and these projects would benefit people of Karachi. He said Karachi was the economic hub of Pakistan and “we are continuously working on its rehabilitation and progress. People have given us their votes so that their problems are solved and we are working on different projects to achieve this target.”

He said besides carrying out development projects, their monitoring was being ensured so that these projects benefit the residents of Karachi fully.

Later, the mayor of Karachi gave a souvenir to the Sri Lankan federal minister on behalf of the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC).</s>KARACHI - With a three-day ultimatum to KE for ending loadshedding in Karachi Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Karachi chapter warned of shutting down port city.

JI leadership expressing concern over current power crisis has scheduled a protest drive against the private power company that would be initiated on Friday (Today) by holding protest demonstration at 50 key places in city, whereas if demands were not meet the demos would be held in Red Zone areas along with the call to shut down all the activities in Karachi.

Hafiz Naeemur Rehman who is JI Karachi Chief narrated the entire plan of party‘s current protest drive against KE during a press conference at a protest camp established outside KE head office Gizri Karachi on Thursday. JI other leaders including Birjees Ahmed, Abdul Wahab, Saifuddin Advocate, Abdul Wahid Sheikh, Imran Shahid, Zahid Askari were also present on occasion.

He said that party earlier staged demonstrations against KE and on the assurance of Governor Sindh Muhammad Zubair it was called off. Since then the Governor instead of taking the issues serious advocated KE and nothing was witnessed that would have relief the citizen.

We would not let KE run after stealing billion of rupees from citizen said Naeem adding that JI has not halted its movement against the irregularities of private power company and had scheduled to hold protest demonstrations against prolonged load shedding, hike in tariff and ‘nexus of K-Electric and National Electricity Power Regulatory Authority’ at 50 places of Karachi. If the people were not given relief then JI would move its protest demonstration in Red Zone of city along with the call to shut down Karachi, warned Naeem.

Appealing Chief Justice of Pakistan to take notice of KE‘s misdeeds, JI leader said that Governor Sindh who is representative of the federation has failed to endorse JI‘s 17 points legal demands.

He said that after the privatization of KESC open space has been given to the private power company to loot billions of money from citizen. The political forces even aware with wrongdoing of KE remained silent and never raised voice.

Naeem said JI is the only party which has brought the real picture of KE and its administration. Party has been moving with the zero tolerance over the misdeed of private power company and the movement will continue until the citizen were given relief, vowed JI leader.

Furthermore, Majlis-e-Wahdat-e-Muslimeen Karachi Chapter has also announced to hold protest demonstration against KE at Nizamabad Chowrangi. MWM spokesperson said that demo to be hold after the Friday prayers is part of the protest drive against loadshedding, overbilling and looting of billions of rupees by KE.

He said that people of Karachi have not interest in the blame game of KE and Sui Southern Gas Company as Karachiites after payment of huge billing amount were deprived of electricity. He further added the drive has entered in second phase and soon the pleas would be submitted in the courts seeking justice.</s>KARACHI (AFP) - At least one man was killed and several injured in Pakistan's biggest city Karachi on Tuesday (April 17) when a riot broke out in protest at the rape and murder of a six-year-old girl.

Crowds took to the streets after the body of the victim was discovered late on Monday, blocking a main road in the western suburb of Orangi Town in western Karachi where they hurled stones at riot police.

"One man has died because of a gunshot," said Aamir Farooqi, the police chief in the district. "We are investigating whose bullet caused that death." A second police official confirmed the figure.

Relatives of the girl and hundreds of residents were angry over what they say has been police laxity in the case. A medical report said the child had been sexually assaulted and strangled.

As the demonstration boiled over, police fired in the air over the crowd and attacked demonstrators with batons.

Two protesters suffering from gunshot wounds were brought to nearby Abbasi Shaheed hospital, where one died later.

Another senior police officer said 10 to 15 police officials were injured during the violence.

The rioting comes months after six-year-old Zainab Fatima Ameen was raped and killed in eastern Pakistan's city of Kasur, sparking nationwide outrage and soul-searching over how the country fails to protect its most vulnerable.

In February a Pakistani court handed down four death sentences on the man charged with the killing.

The protests also come as a series of rapes in neighbouring India have sparked demonstrations there.</s>KARACHI - Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz President and Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif Saturday said he would turn Karachi into another Lahore if voted to power after the upcoming polls.

Addressing a press conference at the Governor House along with other PML-N leaders and federal ministers, Shehbaz Sharif called for constitution of a national commission having representation of the federal government and the four provinces to decide which new provinces could be formed in the country. After consensus by the commission, the issue could be taken to the parliament for approval, he said.

Shehbaz claimed it was the PML-N that passed resolution for the formation of new provinces in the country in 2012. He, however, said the process should be carried out with consulations of all stakeholders.

He urged all stakeholders to work together in the greater interest of the country, shunning their differences, in view of the current situation of the country.

“We are ready to work with MQM-P and other political parties in order to revive the glory of the city of lights,” he said. Shehbaz said the federal government gifted the green line project to Karachi, but the provincial government did not meet its commitments.

He said they were ready to support anyone who comes to power in Karachi as they wanted to resolve the issue of the city with the support of Urdu-speaking community and others.

He vowed to resolve the issue of water in Karachi on war-footing basis, terming it the basic right of the citizens. “We have provided all promised amount for the K-IV bulk water supply project, but the project has yet to be completed,” he said.

Shehbaz held separate meetings with different political leaders of the city, including MQM-Pakistan leader Farooq Sattar, Karachi Mayor Waseem Akhter who was also representing MQM-P Bahadurabad faction, former senator and MQM-P leader Maulana Tanveer-ul-Haq Thanvi and ANP leader Shahi Syed.

Informing the Punjab chief minister of the civic issues faced by Karachiites, Waseem Akhter said he did not have powers and funds which he should have as the mayor to improve the city infrastructure.

He briefed the chief minister on the miserable conditions of hospitals, garbage lifting and transport system in the city.

After meeting with the Punjab chief minister, Shahi Syed gave credit of peace in Karachi to former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and former army chief General Raheel Sharif.

MQM-P leader Farooq Sattar conveyed his reservations to Shehbaz Sharif about unmet promises of PML-N and asked him to play his role in providing space to his party in the political sphere in Karachi.

Talking to media persons after the meeting, Sattar said they had informed the chief minister that many of their party leaders were forced to join other parties while the party was deprived of playing its due role in the politics of Karachi despite being the main representative of the urban centre of the province.

Sattar said the PML-N president had assured him of resolving the issues of the city, including loadshedding, revival of Steel Mills and the employees expelled from Karachi Port Trust. The MQM-P delegation consisted of Kamran Tessori, Abdul Waseem and MPA Waqar Shah.

Talking to a delegation of PML-N local bodies’ representatives and leaders of different wings of the party, Shehbaz Sharif said Nawaz Sharif was a great leader and there was no substitute for him.

“No one could end the popularity of Nawaz Sharif and he was, is and will remain the leader of the party,” he said. He further told the party leaders that PML-N would revive the glory of the city, but all the party leaders would have to work together for this cause. “We will change the situation in Sindh, including Karachi,” he said, adding they would launch a metro bus project in the city and rid the province of corruption, leading it to the path of progress and prosperity.
An initial report on a collision between container ships MV Tolten and MV Hamburg Bay near Karachi, Pakistan, that caused millions of rupees in damage and lost cargo last month suggests errors by MV Toltens captain caused the collision and better tug provision by Karachi Port would have prevented it.