The Prime Minister has established a three-member inquiry committee to investigate a controversial Port Qasim land deal valued at Rs. 60 billion, following allegations of serious irregularities.
Scandal Details
Senator Faisal Vawda recently brought this matter to light, claiming the land was leased at a price significantly below its market value. According to Vawda, the 500 acres of Port Qasim land is worth more than Rs. 60 billion in the current market.
Committee Structure
According to the official notification from the Prime Minister’s Office, the investigation will be headed by Brigadier (Retd) Muzaffar Ali Ranjha, who serves as Chairman of the Prime Minister’s Inspection Commission. The committee includes Intelligence Bureau Director and FIA Director Syed Shahid Hassan.
Investigation Focus
The committee will examine:
- Legal measures taken by Port Qasim Authority (PQA) to cancel the lease that remained under stay order for 12 years
- Rationale behind PQA Board’s decision for out-of-court settlement
- Whether proper land valuation was conducted before settlement
- Why the settlement wasn’t withdrawn after the litigant’s rejection
- Governance and procedural issues that caused delays
Timeline and Support
The Ministry of Maritime Affairs will provide secretarial support and officially notify the committee. Findings must be submitted to the Prime Minister within two weeks.
Senator Vawda, who chairs the Senate Standing Committee on Maritime Affairs, has directed authorities to freeze all leased land at ports while raising concerns about the illegal allotment of 500 acres in Port Qasim that reports suggest was valued at over Rs. 60 billion but allegedly leased for much less.
