India on Friday said it had made a consular request to Pakistan to help resolve the situation involving an Indian merchant navy officer and five other crew members reportedly stranded aboard a vessel at Karachi port for the past several months.
Responding to a query at his bi-weekly media briefing, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the government was in touch with the stranded crew members, their employer and the shipping company's agent to facilitate a resolution.
“We have been in touch with these people there, as well as their employer, namely the shipping company and its agent, and are trying to resolve the issue,” he said.
The spokesperson was asked about an Indian merchant navy officer who, along with five other crew members, has reportedly been unable to leave Karachi port for several months. The officer's family members have been appealing to the authorities to secure his return to India.
Jaiswal said the matter primarily involved a commercial dispute between the vessel's owner and the crew members, pointing out that the employees could not simply leave the ship without a replacement crew being arranged.
“Regarding the merchant navy personnel aboard the ship in Karachi, this is essentially a matter between the ship's owner and the crew members. The employees cannot simply abandon the vessel. A replacement crew has to arrive before they can leave,” he said.
He reiterated that India was in contact with the affected crew members and the shipping company and had also taken up the matter with Pakistan through a consular request.
“Essentially, this is a commercial issue between the shipping company and its employees,” he added.
(With Inputs from PTI)
