ISLAMABAD/LAHORE: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has constituted a three-member inquiry committee to investigate the Port Qasim Authority (PQA) land lease scandal.
The alleged irregularities in the leasing of PQA land had been pointed out by Senator Faisal Vawda during a recent meeting of the Senate standing committee.
The government took notice of the mega scandal and decided to hold investigations.
The PQA land had been leased out for setting up small and medium industrial parks.
Chairman Prime Minister Inspection Committee will be the inquiry committee convener, while the IB and FIA directors would be the committee members.
The inquiry committee will seek the vacation of stay against cancellation of the lease agreement spanning 12 years.
The committee will investigate whether the PQA reassessed the land value before the settlement and whether the current market rates were considered in the decision-making process.
The inquiry will assess PQA’s legal strategy regarding lease cancellations that remained under stay orders for 12 years. It will also scrutinize the rationale behind PQA board’s decision to pursue an out-of-court settlement with litigants, including the legal opinions supporting the move.
Additionally, the committee will determine whether PQA reassesed land costs before settlements and whether market rates were considered. It will also examine why the settlement offer was not rescinded when the litigant declined it, identifying governance lapses that contributed to delays.
The inquiry committee will submit its report to the prime minister within two weeks, while the Ministry of Maritime Affairs will provide secretarial support.
According to Vawda, a controversial agreement was signed on July 9, 2024, for 500 acres of land at Port Qasim, with an advance payment of only 2 per cent—a fraction of the land’s estimated Rs60 billion values. During a recent committee meeting, attended by the PQA chairman and the acting Karachi Port Trust chairman, lawmakers uncovered significant irregularities in the deal, leading to its cancellation within 72 hours.
Vawda accused PQA of misleading the public through media rebuttals and questioned why the land sale was reversed so quickly if it was legitimate. He also criticized the Port Qasim Board for allegedly selling land worth Rs60 billion for just Rs5 billion, beyond its legal authority.
Vawda recommended freezing pending payments for land acquisitions at Port Qasim, Karachi Port Trust, Gwadar Port, and the Pakistan National Shipping Corporation (PNSC) until further investigations are completed.
APP adds: Meanwhile, Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif Sunday chaired a meeting to review the initiative of information and communication technology (ICT) training to 300,000 Pakistani youths, in collaboration with Huawei Technologies.
Stressing the critical role of young people in driving the digital revolution and advancing technology in the country, he reaffirmed the government’s commitment to equipping the young individuals with modern skills.
During the meeting, the PM stated that the government was providing all possible support to ensure youth were prepared for the evolving digital landscape.
He highlighted that Huawei’s ICT training programme would not only enhance IT exports but also create employment opportunities for young professionals.
A delegation from Huawei Technologies attended the meeting, where various initiatives aimed at imparting digital skills and providing world-class IT training were discussed.
The progress of agreements signed last year with Huawei Technologies in China was also reviewed.
Representatives of Huawei reaffirmed their commitment to launching an advanced training programme in Pakistan. Under this initiative, young individuals will receive specialised training in Artificial Intelligence (AI), Cybersecurity, Cloud Computing and other cutting-edge technologies.
The PM was told that 300,000 Pakistani youth would receive online training as part of the initiative. To facilitate the programme, Shehbaz would officially inaugurate the ICT Training Portal. Officials also informed the premier that Huawei Technologies had already trained 20,315 students under the initiative, with the programme focusing on upskilling students, trainers, and ICT professionals.
Master trainers trained by Huawei would further impart knowledge at the local level to expand the programme’s reach.
Shehbaz directed the authorities concerned to ensure swift implementation of IT training projects and to maximise the accessibility of ICT Training Portal across Pakistan. He also instructed that the initiative be extended to all provinces, including Azad Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan, to ensure that young people nationwide benefit from the program.
The meeting was attended by Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar, Federal Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication Shaza Fatima, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister Haroon Akhtar, Chairman of the PM Youth Program Rana Mashhood Ahmad Khan, and other senior government officials.
Meanwhile, two members of the National Assembly, Azhar Qayyum Nahra and Abdul Ghaffar Wattoo, and a Member of the Provincial Assembly, Fida Hussain Wattoo, called on Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif. Matters related to their respective constituencies and overall country’s political situation came under discussion. The premier directed the parliamentarians to remain in touch with the people and solve their problems.
