Govt Forms Committee to Investigate Port Qasim Land Deal

The Prime Minister has set up a three-member inquiry committee to investigate the Port Qasim land deal worth Rs. 60 billion.

Alleged Scam Exposed

Senator Faisal Vawda recently revealed this alleged scam. He said the land was given at a much lower price than its actual value. The market price of 500 acres of land in Port Qasim is more than Rs. 60 billion.

Committee Members

As per the Prime Minister’s Office notification, the committee will be led by Brigadier (Retd) Muzaffar Ali Ranjha, Chairman of the Prime Minister’s Inspection Commission. The other members include Intelligence Bureau Director and FIA Director, Syed Shahid Hassan.

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Key Investigation Points

The committee will review the legal steps taken by the Port Qasim Authority (PQA) to cancel the lease. The lease remained under a stay order for 12 years.

It will also examine why the PQA Board opted for an out-of-court settlement. The committee will check if the PQA assessed the land value before settling and if the current market rates were considered.

The inquiry will also determine why the settlement was not withdrawn when the litigant rejected it. Additionally, the committee will look for any governance or procedural issues that delayed the process.

Government Support and Report Submission

The Ministry of Maritime Affairs will provide secretarial support and will officially notify the committee. The committee must submit its findings to the Prime Minister within two weeks.

Senator Faisal Vawda, who is also the Chairman of the Senate Standing Committee on Maritime Affairs, had raised concerns about the illegal allotment of 500 acres in Port Qasim.

The committee instructed authorities to freeze all leased land at the ports. Faisal Vawda referred to news reports, stating that the land’s actual value is over Rs. 60 billion but was given away at a much lower price.