The Karachi Fish Harbour Authority (KFHA) has formally approached Pakistan Navy for deployment of its marines at the fish harbour to scale down chances of possible terror attacks at the adjacent sensitive shipyard and dockyard, officials said on Monday.
The terror attacks at PNS Mehran sent shocking fears to the naval high-ups and forced them to seek KFHA's assistance to beef up security in the adjacent areas to the sensitive naval installations, including shipyard and dockyard, they added.
"Pakistan Navy wants all areas of the fish harbour with full security, to stop any attacks from here to the naval base to protect ships, submarines and other sensitive installations," the officials said. The PNS Mehran fiasco brought Pakistan Navy and KFHA together to agree on increase of security arrangements mutually. However, differences immediately rose when the latter showed reservations on the recommendations of the former for deployment of Pakistan Rangers personnel at the harbour, officials pointed out.
"Some stakeholders of KFHA do not want deployment of Rangers at the harbour, as they believe the Rangers' track record is poor if looked at its performance in such areas, and showed fears they will soon act like police, and bad situation will continue to prevail," they added.
The Authority wants Pakistan Navy to help it in boosting security at the harbour, officials said, adding that some officials and stakeholders were unsure that Rangers would overcome the poor law and order situation there. On the other hand, Pakistan Navy urged the Authority to take a chance on Rangers, even for a short while, and if its performance was not up to the security demand, then the plan could be reviewed, they said.
Officials said KFHA, according to its security plan, would now seek deployment of marines at the harbour's main gates, and Rangers at the black water area, which was the den of outlaws. "After sunset, nobody can go to the black water area of the harbour for danger of criminals," they added.
The Authority has reminded both Pakistan Navy and Rangers of the deployment, officials said, adding that Maritime Security Agency (MSA) had already set up its check-points inside the fish harbour sea channel to have a close check on the movements of boats. "Deputy Director General of MSA has also sought help of CCPO for deployment of police at the harbour," they said.
They said that Ajmal Qassab, who attacked Mumbai in November 2008, had set sail on a fishing boat from Karachi Fish Harbour, which had increased security apprehensions even at the harbour and its nearby docks since then. They said KFHA had taken several steps in the past to ensure watertight security but failed every time for lack of government help and all stakeholders' support to implement its plans at the harbour. "The lack of KFHA's own security force now has compelled it to seek marines' deployment at the harbour," they added.
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