MoST to conduct survey for extension of continental shelf

Ministry of Science and Technology (MoST) would conduct a survey for the extension of continental shelf of Pakistan from 200M to 350M. In this respect, a project costing millions of rupees has been approved which will be executed by the National Institute of Oceanography (NIO), Karachi, MoST announced here on Saturday. The project will directly and indirectly achieve Pakistan's economical interests and benefits. The information obtained would be the sound basis for the future research and offshore exploration programmes.
This project will also be of immense value for developing offshore oil and gas industry. The programmes of NIO are mainly based on research/exploration surveys of the seas, within and beyond EEZ of Pakistan, especially for geological resources mapping assessment, ocean environment, marine fisheries, aqua culture, coastal zone management and port and harbour development.
The enforcement of the United Nations Convention on the Law of Sea (UNCLOS), ratified by Pakistan in 1997, not only provides new opportunities for a coastal state to maximise the benefits from the oceans but it also imposes certain environment.
One of the significant provisions of the Law of Sea (Article 76) is the opportunity for a coastal state with board continental margin to delimit and extend its jurisdiction beyond 200 nautical mile (M) EEZ limit.
Pakistan is considered to be one of the broad margin countries in the world.
Taking opportunity of UNCLOS Article 76, this project has been approved, to have Pakistan's Continental Shelf extended from 200M to 350M.
It is estimated that an area up to about 50,000 sq km of the extended continental shelf can be annexed to our existing 240,000 sq km offshore area of EEZ.
The regional geological set-up and history of the Indus offshore region, where the potential area for the continental extension lies, entails to expect good prospects of natural resources.
Minister for Science and Technology Chaudhry Nouraiz Shakoor Khan said the prime outcome of this project would be the establishment of the jurisdiction of Pakistan in the extended continental shelf area in accordance with the UNCLOS provisions.
He said: "It is a matter of extreme national pride and jurisdiction, which can never be matched or quantified against any other benefit."