Islamabad, Aug 14: Pakistan today said it would react to the Indian offer of assistance to deal with the environmental and other hazards created by the oil spill due to cracks in the hull of the Greek oil tanker near the Karachi harbour tomorrow. Pakistan foreign office spokesman, Masood Khan today declined to react to the Indian offer of extending technical assistance to help to deal with the pollution generated by the leak of large volumes of crude oil in the Karachi coast. Asked about the Indian offer Khan told reporters here that he would react formally tomorrow after going through the details of the offer of assistance. A letter containing the Indian offer was handed over to the Pakistan foreign office by the Indian High Commission officials here today.
"Should the government of Pakistan respond positively, the government of India would provide immediate cooperation through its capabilities, equipment and materials, including pollution response equipment, dispersants, containment booms etc," an external affairs ministry spokesman told reporters in New Delhi.

A Greek-registered oil tanker, carrying around 60,000 tonnes of crude oil, cracked and leaking floundered off the Arabian Sea port of Karachi today.


Bureau Report