ISLAMABAD: The Senate’s Functional Committee on Devolution on Thursday recommended lawful redressal of the prolonged issue of 172-acre land, occupied by a private firm, at Gadani Fish Harbour within 60 days.
The committee, chaired by Senator Moula Bux Chandio, discussed in detail the progress report on a public petition regarding the transfer of 172-acre land of the Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation, located at Gadani Fish Harbour, to MK Pakistan, a Karachi-based private company.
It also took notice of the negligence of concerned departments, which remained at loggerheads on the issue.
Others who attended the meeting included Senators Sassi Palijo, Shammim Afridi, Lt Gen (r) Salahuddin Tirmizi, MK Pakistan (Pvt) Ltd chairman and senior officials of the Cabinet Division and PTDC.
The committee chairman lamented that the departments such as PTDC should have been transferred to the provinces but nothing had been done in this regard.
“Important issues get delayed due to rifts between the provinces and the federal capital,” he maintained.
Expressing its concern over impediments in the transfer of departments after the 18th amendment, the Senate body also recommended the immediate establishment of a PTDC board.
Justifying the delay in the formation of the PTDC board, the Cabinet Division additional secretary said that a summary is now being moved to the Federal Cabinet and after obtaining approval from the prime minister, the board would be set up. “All the provinces have sent panels of nominees in this regard.”
Earlier, the additional secretary informed the committee that a seven-page summary had already been sent to the Prime Minister Office so as to seek its views on the legal status of the Gadani Fish Harbour land.
Owner of the private firm, Malik Muhammad Khan, informed the committee that the land was provided by Coastal Development Authority in 2014 and after a heavy investment by his firm, the PTDC was now claiming the possession of land.
Meanwhile, Senator Sassui Palijo drew the attention of members towards the non-establishment of the Council of Common Interest (CCI). In response, the Ministry of Inter-Provincial Coordination (IPC) director said that space has been arranged in the Kohsar building for setting up the CCI office.
“Letters have also been written to the provincial stakeholders for their input in this regard,” he stated.
