ISLAMABAD:
The Senate Standing Committee on Maritime Affairs on Tuesday reviewed critical issues related to the management of maritime assets, particularly the controversial sale of 500 acres of land at Port Qasim. The committee, chaired by Senator Faisal Vawda, later ordered cancellation of the sale.
Vawda later expressed his gratitude for the swift action taken by the committee, stating, “Had we not intervened and exposed the corruption, the country would have lost Rs60 billion. Our collective action ensured that the fraudulent sale was canceled within 72 hours of our recommendations.”
According to a press release, the committee delved into the sale of 500 acres of land at Port Qasim, which was reportedly sold for a mere 2 percent advance, amounting to a fraction of its actual value, estimated at Rs60 billion.
The senator questioned the legitimacy of the transaction, stating, “Only 2 percent was taken after selling land worth Rs60 billion. If the transaction was legitimate, why was it reversed within 72 hours?”
The land was originally allotted for industrial use in 2006, and the committee heard from officials that an out-of-court settlement had been pursued in this matter.
However, Vawda raised doubts, questioning why the land was sold for just 10 percent of its actual value and why the board did not take action sooner. “Who authorized the Port Qasim Board to sell land worth Rs60 billion for just Rs5 billion? This goes beyond their scope and authority,” he remarked.
In his remarks, the senator outlined three options for dealing with such cases of mismanagement and corruption, “Surrender, admit the corruption, or fight against it.” He emphasized the importance of holding accountable those responsible for the financial loss to the country.
Senator Danesh Kumar raised concerns about the lack of a permanent chairman at both the Karachi and Gwadar ports, stressing the need for stable leadership in the maritime sector.
Vawda agreed stating that if the acting chairmanship was to continue, then the permanent chairman should be removed. “The importance of proper leadership cannot be overstated.”
The committee also questioned the role of the Port Qasim Board in the controversial land sale. Port Qasim officials claimed that the matter was handled appropriately and that the board had not done anything illegal.
However, Senator Vawda challenged this assertion, saying, “Port Qasim not only sold the land maliciously but also changed the location of the Balkhnum Razi project.”
He pointed out that the land was sold at an extraordinarily low price, noting that a foreign company, “which was not truly foreign but local and had a questionable track record”, was involved in the deal.
The committee was also briefed on the current state of Port Qasim’s land holdings. Port Qasim owns approximately 14,000 acres of land, with 9,574 acres leased out. In addition, the authority purchased 1,000 acres of land and is awaiting possession of 1,250 acres from the Sindh government.
The committee noted the importance of prioritizing exports at the ports, which remains a key issue for Pakistan’s maritime sector. Vawda called for the inclusion of technocrats and businessmen from private sector in the port’s management board to ensure efficiency and transparency.
In line with the findings of the meeting, the senator proposed several recommendations for immediate action. These included freezing pending payments in land acquisition deals at Port Qasim, KPT, Gwadar Port and the PNSC until further investigations are completed.
The committee also recommended a thorough examination of the Shawn Refining project, with the potential for cancellation if criminal negligence is found.
The committee issued directions that all the lease agreements that were issued from 2018 to 2024 to any companies be frozen. The committee also directed that the details of all the out of court settlements made during the governments of the PTI, the PDM and the PML-N be provided to the committee. All lease agreements of which the payments have not been made be cancelled.
The next meeting will further discuss appointments in important maritime departments and follow up on unresolved issues related to the Port Qasim land sale and other maritime affairs.
The meeting was attended by Senators Danesh Kumar, Naseema Ehsan, Rubina Qaim Khani, Husna Bano, Nadeem Bhutto and other senior officials, including the chairpersons of relevant departments.
WITH INPUT FROM APP
