Assessment of KPT land: NA body decides to form high-powered body

ISLAMABAD: The Standing Committee on Maritime Affairs which met under the chairmanship of MNA Abdul Qadir Patel, lauded the efforts of all three forces especially Army and Navy for defending and safeguarding all the ports in the country.

The committee deliberated upon the issue of encroachment drive taken up by the present administration of Karachi Port Trust (KPT) and eviction notices being served to poor masses and residents in these goths for the past so many years.

The minister Junaid Anwar Chaudhry agreed with the committee and said that there has been malpractices and wrongdoings in the transfer and lease of lands, and policy to make this process transparent is in the offing and will be implemented soon.

The committee, however, decided to form a high-powered committee under the convennership of Commissioner Karachi comprising senior officers from KPT, Board of Revenue, Port Qasim Authority and Law enforcement agencies to chalk out a plan for the assessment of KPT land and the settlement of persons being displaced in the encroachment drive.

The minister also shared with the Committee of setting up a Sewage Treatment Plan for stopping the spill over of hazardous and industrial waste going into the sea and making the contaminated water usable with the help of industry people located in the vicinity of port areas. The minister also told that poor students belonging to these particular areas will be given scholarships up to higher studies under CSR programmes of KPT, PQA and PNSC. The Marine Academy is also being upgraded and it will be soon turned in to Degree Awarding University.

Besides Minister Junaid Anwar Chaudhry, meeting was attended by members, Malik Shakir Bashir Awan, Muhammad Arshad Sahi, Jam Abdul Karim Bijar, Khurram Munawar Manj, Malik SaifUl Malook Khokhar, Pullain and Usman Badini. Secretary Ministry of Maritime Affairs, additional secretary and senior officers of attached departments also attended the meeting, in person and through Zoom.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2025