Fesal Vawda Chairman Senate Committee, directed to freez all land allotments and acquisitions within Port Qasim and the Karachi Port Trust (KPT) areas.

Fesal Vawda Chairman Senate Committee, directed to freez all land allotments and acquisitions within Port Qasim and the Karachi Port Trust (KPT) areas. Vawda revealed shocking details regarding the highly controversial allotment of 500 acres of land at Port Qasim.

The Senate Committee on Maritime Affairs met today under the chairmanship of Senator Fesal Vawda here at the Parliament House. The meeting was attended by Senator Pervaiz Rashid, Senator Danesh Kumar, Senator Zeeshan Khanzada, Senator Nadeem Ahmed Bhutto, and Senator Rubina QaimKhani.

Also in attendance were the Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs, Qaiser Ahmed Sheikh, Secretary Syed Zafer Ali Shah, and the heads of relevant departments. The primary focus of today’s session was to discuss significant issues concerning land allotments at Port Qasim and KPT, the state of maritime affairs, and the future direction of port infrastructure and development.

“Land worth Rs 40 million per acre was allotted at a mere Rs 1 million per acre, leading to a massive loss of Rs 40 billion. This deal, which includes the sale of 200 acres of land separately, has caused a Rs 60 billion loss to the national treasury. This cannot be allowed to continue,” stated Senator Vawda.

In light of these discrepancies, the Chairman directed the cancellation of these land allotments and instructed the concerned authorities to prepare a detailed report immediately , identifying the individuals involved. “We will not hesitate to lift the restraining orders on this matter,” he added. “The responsible will be accountable to NAB and pother relevant agencies. The Committee We will use all necessary means to fix these issues.”

Senator Vawda also expressed concerns regarding similar allotments during the past era, emphasizing the need for transparency and accountability, even the  Port Qasim Authority Chairman was unaware of such illegal allotment issue, he said If billions of dollars have been lost, we will recover it, and our steps will be strong, and if required the matter will be referred to NAB as well as other concerned authorities for investigation Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs, Qaiser Sheikh, responded by stating, “To my knowledge, there is no such transfer that took place without the permission of the board, however  we will collect all necessary details regarding the matter.”

He went on to highlight the serious issues faced by the maritime sector, mentioning the stagnation in various projects, including fisheries, over the last several years. “SOE has been making a loss of six billion rupees, and many projects are stalled, yet salaries are being paid in crores,” he remarked.

The committee also discussed the broader challenges facing the country’s maritime infrastructure, especially in Karachi and Gwadar. Senator Pervaiz Rashid underscored the lack of a cohesive strategy, pointing out, “Unfortunately, we have never considered our ports as commercial entities. The absence of coordination between departments has paralyzed progress. The failure to address overloading and the resulting damage to roads is one of the key issues that needs immediate attention.”

Similarly Senators Danesh kumar Nadeem Bhutto, Rubina Qaimkhani and Zeeshan Khanzada Also raised emphasis with regards to step being taken by the ministry for the development of all ports as well as resolution of all issues.

Secretary of Maritime Affairs, Syed Zafer Ali Shah, briefed the committee on several positive developments, including a 90 billion rupee profit for the sector in the previous year and a target of increasing earnings by 14 billion rupees. “We are working on digitalization across ports to enhance efficiency. A digital system at ports can earn us an additional $100 per container daily,” the Secretary stated.

The committee also received updates on the ongoing and planned projects at Gwadar Port. The Chairman of Gwadar Port emphasized the potential of the port, citing a Japanese grant of one billion dollars for industrial pollution control. “We are working with international partners on projects that will boost the economic opportunities in Gwadar, including green shipping and green fuel projects,” he explained. Additionally, the committee was briefed on efforts to expand the port’s capacity, including the initiatives to improve port infrastructure.

As part of the ongoing efforts to improve security and operations at Gwadar, the committee discussed the implementation of new security measures and the development of infrastructure such as the Lyari Expressway, which aims to open new trade routes.

“There are many opportunities for development in Gwadar, particularly in fertilizer imports and export connections with Central Asia. Our task is to ensure that the local community is engaged, and we work towards eliminating illegal fishing and promoting sustainable development,” the Gwadar Port Chairman added.

The meeting was concluded by reinforcing the importance of the upcoming changes. “We will make the Ministry of Maritime Affairs a land bank, ensuring no one can misuse it for personal gains. The state must not allow such malpractices. The committee will follow these instructions to ensure we fix all outstanding issues and move toward sustainable growth.”

The Chairman also emphasized the committee’s determination to address all issues particularly land-related, the committee decided to make formal visits to Port Qasim, KPT and Gwadar  and make on ground inspections on various land acquisition and evaluate a true picture of the issue, ensuring  transparency and accountability in maritime affairs.”

The Ministry of Maritime Affairs and the committee with collaborated efforts , is committed to bringing about transparent and effective solutions for the sector’s future growth.