ISLAMABAD : Federal Minister for Defence, Engr. Khurram Dastgir Khanintroduced Joint Maritime Information Organization (JMIO) Bill 2018, in theNational Assembly on Wednesday.
The JMIO will act as a nerve centre for collecting, fusing, anddisseminating information related to maritime domain to all stakeholders.Since the concept involves a number of stakeholders/agencies, which havepeculiar command structures and organizations, therefore, a Bill passed byParliament is considered imperative to achieve seamless integration of allthe organizations.
The Maritime Security has assumed significant importance in contemporaryglobal environment. Major threats emanating at sea include piracy,transnational criminal activities, illegal fishing, smuggling, human anddrug trafficking, gun running, etc. These threats can assume asymmetricproportions for the state. Early detection and timely warning to variousagencies responsible for maritime security will enable coordinated,immediate, and effective response to emerging situations. Majority of themaritime states have already restructured their maritime securityorganizations under a similar concept.
Pakistan Navy conceived Joint Maritime Information Organization (JMIO)concept in 2012 to establish a formal mechanism for effective exchange ofMaritime related information between all stakeholders. Consequently, aJoint Maritime Information Coordination Centre (JMICC) was establishedunder the auspices of Pakistan Navy at PNS Qasim, Karachi on February 07,2013.