PTDC assets, properties: IPCC to decide handing over to provinces tomorrow

A meeting of Inter Provincial Co-ordination Committee (IPCC) would be held on Monday at 10:30 am to decide on handing over of assets and properties of Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation (PTDC) worth billions of rupees to the provinces under the 18th constitutional amendment, it is learnt. Sources further revealed the federal government had indicated its intent to privatise the properties and assets of PTDC before transferring it to the provinces.
However it is feared that this may fuel conflict between the federation and the provinces. After passage of 18th constitutional amendment, the Tourism Ministry was devolved and the fate of PTDC along with its assets and employees remained undecided. The recent move sparked a tug of war between provinces and the centre over assets/resorts under the administrative control of the corporation. Federal Minister for IPC Riaz Husain Pirzada, provincial ministers, chief secretaries of provinces, federal ministries dealing with concerned issues, members of PTDC board of directors, the IPC Secretary and other officials will also attend the meeting to decide the matter amicably.
When contacted Federal Minister of IPC Riaz Hussain Pirzada confirmed that the meeting was scheduled and said that its agenda included a discussion on the assets and properties of PTDC and their value. Discussions with the provinces on the matter will also be held. He said a regularity authority had been established in Islamabad which would deal with all such matters.
The sources said provinces were demanding and pressurising the federal government to handover Tourism Ministry''s assets that fall within their jurisdiction as soon as possible. More than three years have been passed since the passage of the 18th constitutional amendment, and still the federal government has not made any headway in transferring assets and property of Ministry of Tourism to the provinces. The sources further revealed that a liquidator would be appointed to evaluate the value of the corporation''s assets and adjust them with their current liabilities including dues payable to employees such as gratuity, leave increment, provident fund and other benefits.
If the decision of the IPC is implemented, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa will be the biggest beneficiary because the majority of PTDC resorts are located in that province. The sources said Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provincial tourism department had finalised an evaluation report on the assets and properties of PTDC, and identified more than 19 sites which were going to be handed over to province as per decision of Ministry of IPC. The Tourism Corporation KP has constituted a four member committee to evaluate the actual assets and properties of PTDC in the province. Members of the committee have identified more than 19 sites at an estimated value of billions of rupees.
Recently, the Ministry of IPC in its last 76th Board of Directors meeting held on July 1, formally decided to hand over assets and properties of PTDC to provinces, and was given the task of evaluating actual assets and properties. The meeting declared that the assets and properties of PTDC stood transferred to concerning provinces. PTDC in Islamabad includes sports gymnasium in Shakkarparian, a restaurant in Daman-e-Koh and a restaurant in Jaltrang. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa: A resort in Chakdara and motels in Saidu Sharif, Kalam, Miandam, Panakot/Dir, Chitral, Chattar Plain, Besham, Barseen, Balakot, Naran and Ayubia. Gilgit-Baltistan: Motels in Gilgit, Gopis, Hunza, Phandar, Rama Lake, Sust (Pak-China border), Astak, Khaplu, Satpara and Skardu. Balochistan: Motels in Taftan (Pak-Iran border), Ziarat, Khuzdar and Chaman. Punjab: Motels in Taxila, Wagah (Pak-India border) and Bahawalpur.