Pakistan submitted its claim to UN for extension beyond 200 nautical miles

The Pakistan's Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York has filed Pakistan's claim for extension in its continental shelf from 200 nautical miles to 350 nautical miles to United Nations Commission on the Limited of Continental Shelf (UNCLCS) on 30th April 2009.

The Ministry of Science and Technology (MoST) was involved in the preparation of the claim for the last couple of years. The National Institute of Oceanography (NIO), an autonomous organization of this Ministry was entrusted the task to prepare the claim in accordance with the UN requirements. The case was prepared and submitted to our mission in New York during April 2009 for submission before 13th May 2009, the dead line. Our Mission has filed the claim on 30th April 2009.

The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) was adopted in 1982 and came into force on 16 November 1994. Pakistan ratified the Convention on 26 February 1997. The Convention entered into force for Pakistan on 28 March 1997. Under the UNCLOS Pakistan has an Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) extending upto 200 nautical miles which would be extended upto 350 nautical miles on meeting some conditionalities. Therefore, recognizing this and taking opportunity of UNCLOS Article 76, MoST has been endeavoring to address and pursue this extremely important issue of national interest, to have Pakistan's Continental Shelf extended from 200 to 350 nautical miles.

The benefits to be accrued from this project are summarized below:

1. Substantial area of more than 50,000 km may be gained after the continental shelf extension from 200 to 350 nautical miles.
2. The data acquired during the project will provide a reliable and firm database and foundation, essential for future marine research and exploration of living and non-living marine resources. It will also provide 'a good basis for our scientists/technicians to further promote and develop the marine geological and geophysical research and survey capabilities.
3. The project will contribute directly to the petroleum and mineral sector in general and to the offshore maritime industry/market in particular.
4. By analogy, elsewhere in the world, deepwater fan and deltaic systems are of great interest to oil exploration companies. Oil and gas developments in sediment-rich margins such as offshore Nigeria, Brazil, Angola are clear indicators of potential for the Indus Fan. Gas hydrates have been well-studied in the Makran region of the Pakistan continental margin, although few indications have so far been noted of their widespread presence in the Indus Fan region.

PRESS INFORMATION DEPARTMENT
GOVERNMENT OF PAKISTAN
ISLAMABAD