A senatorial committee has raised alarms concerning the allocation of Karachi Port Land worth 40 billion rupees for only 5 billion rupees, calling it “mega scandal” and demanding an urgent investigation.
The revelation was made at a meeting of the Senatorial Affairs Committee, chaired by Senator Faisal Vawda.
During the session, VAWDA expressed its indignation at the alleged undervaluation of 500 acres of Port land of Karachi Prime, arguing that the market value of the property exceeded 60 billion rupees well.
He asked how such an agreement was approved without formal authorization from the competent authorities.
“This is a blatant improper use of public assets. We will ensure transparency in Karachi Port’s land allowances, “he said, adding that the case would be examined with the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC).
The Federal Minister of Maritime Affairs Qaiser Ahmed Sheikh and the maritime secretary Zafar Ali Shah were present in the meeting, but did not claim any prior knowledge of the agreement.
Their response led to a more in -depth examination of committee members, which required a complete report on the transaction.
Beyond the controversial attribution of the land, the Senate Committee has highlighted wider ineffectiveness in the operations of Karachi Port Trust (KPT).
The Senator Dinesh Kumar noted that the regulations exceeded hampered the development of the port, the laws governing the port of Karachi dating back more than a century, and the Qasim port operating in a legal framework of more than 50 years.
Officials have recognized the need for urgent policies reforms and announced that a new maritime policy would soon be introduced – the first in 25 years.
Senators also underlined KPT’s financial mismanagement, citing reports that certain organizational drivers gained up to 350,000 rupees per month, with 800 million additional rupees allocated per year for medical services.
Kumar criticized the strong influence of unions, saying that KPT management has often given the Union pressure, making reforms difficult.
“The port sector works like a white elephant. Whenever a new government takes care of, we get briefs full of minor differences, but not real real. It’s time for serious action, ”added Kumar.
Committee members have warned that unregulated land allowances and the mismanagement of the Karachi port could cause significant economic losses. They urged the government to strengthen surveillance, update maritime laws and proceed with in -depth verification of the land allowances of Karachi Port.
Vawda stressed that no other land agreement at the port of Karachi should continue without total transparency.
“The approval of the council has been bypassed and federal officials claim ignorance-that cannot be authorized to continue,” he said.
With increasing pressure from the legislators, the Committee called for an immediate stop at the Land Port Karachi transaction, while the officials were responsible for submitting a detailed report on the issue in the coming weeks.
