New Delhi:
Amid reports that an Indian seafarer, along with five crew members of a vessel, has been stranded at Karachi port for the past few months, India on Friday said it has made a consular request to the Pakistani side. External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, in a response to a query at his bi-weekly media briefing, also said, “We have been in touch with these people there, and also with their employer, as in the shipping company and their agent, and we are trying to resolve this issue.”
He was asked about an Indian merchant navy officer, who, along with five crew members, has reportedly been stranded at Karachi port, and whose family members have been appealing to the authorities for the last several months to bring him back home.
“Regarding the merchant people on the ship, which is in Karachi, it is actually a matter between the owner of the ship and these people who are on it. I mean, these employees who are on the ship, you cannot just leave the ship. So, a replacement crew has to come before you leave,” Jaiswal said.
“We have been in touch with these people there, also with their employer, as in the shipping company and their agent, and we are trying to resolve this issue. We’ve also asked the Pakistani side for a consular request.
“But essentially, it’s an issue, a commercial issue, between the shipping company and the employees,” he added.
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