Pakistan has agreed to process India's request for consular access to six Indian seafarers stranded at Karachi Port.
The crew, including a Merchant Navy officer from Prayagraj, have been aboard the vessel since April 17.
A commercial dispute involving Iran-based KEVER Shipping Company and Karachi port authorities has delayed their return.
Pakistan has agreed to process India's request for consular access to six Indian seafarers stranded aboard a cargo vessel at Karachi Port for nearly seven months, according to a News18 report citing sources in Pakistan's Foreign Office. India had approached Pakistan for consular assistance, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) confirmed on Friday. The crew, including a Merchant Navy officer from Uttar Pradesh, have remained aboard the vessel since it reached Karachi on April 17.
On October 29, a senior Indian government official told PTI that six replacement crew members were ready to board the vessel but were awaiting clearance from Karachi port authorities.
India In Touch With Crew And Shipping Company
Addressing the matter at his bi-weekly media briefing, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said India had been engaging with the stranded seafarers and the shipping company.
"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," Jaiswal said, reported PTI.
He described the situation as a commercial dispute between the vessel's owner and its employees, explaining that the crew could not leave the ship until replacement personnel arrived to take over.
He also said, "We've also asked for a consular request to the Pakistani side." He added that the issue was essentially a commercial dispute between the shipping company and its employees.
Commercial Dispute Behind Seven-Month Ordeal
According to News18, the vessel's detention followed a commercial and legal dispute involving its operator, Iran-based KEVER Shipping Company, and Karachi port authorities.
The families have alleged that Karachi port authorities seized the crew's passports. They have also said the seafarers have been unable to disembark despite their employment contracts having expired. The stranded group includes a senior Merchant Navy officer from Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh.
The requirement for replacement personnel was also highlighted by Jaiswal, who said the crew could not simply abandon the vessel while it remained in port.
Families Await Repatriation Amid Difficult Conditions
The prolonged situation has left the families of the six seafarers appealing to Indian authorities for their return. According to News18, the crew members have faced erratic power supply and severely restricted mobile connectivity aboard the vessel.
They have reportedly been able to speak to their families in India only once in roughly two weeks.
According to News18, officials from the Indian High Commission in Islamabad are expected to meet the crew at Berth No. 21, West Wharf, Karachi Port, to assess their welfare and assist with the documentation required for their return.
Their departure remains contingent on replacement personnel taking over their duties and the completion of pending port formalities.
