ISLAMABAD: Ministry of Railways is planning to float an international tender to run the Royal Palm Golf and Country Club, spreading around 150 acres in heart of Lahore, on commercial lines and lease basis.
“Facilities like three cinema houses, marquees and a leading golf club of country are available at the land, having worth billions of rupees but occupied by a mafia since 2001”, an official in the Ministry of Railways told APP.
Minister for Railways Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed has already formed a nine-member management committee under the Chairmanship of Secretary Railways Sikandar Sultan Raja as per directives of the Supreme Court, he added.
He said that other members included in the committee are Chief Executive Officer Aftab Akbar, Additional General Manager Traffic Zubair Shafi Ghouri, Additional General Manager Mechanical Ijaz Ahmed, Member Finance Manzoor Akhtar, Additional General Manager Infrastructure Dost Ali Leghari, Inspector General Railways Police Wajid Zia, Divisional Superintendent Lahore and Director Properties and Land.
The management committee would invite the international tender within three months regarding Royal Palm Golf and Country Club, the official said, adding “Pakistan Railways would never tolerate land grabbing”. He said the affairs of the club would be run smoothly as per schedule and Pakistan Railways would not cancel the membership of any member.
The apex court had directed to hand over the Royal Palm Golf and Country Club to the Pakistan Railways after nullifying the contract between both parties. Justice Sheikh Azmat Saeed and Justice Ijaz-ul-Ahsan had issued the verdict at the Supreme Court Lahore Registry.
The court ordered the Railways administration to handle all the affairs of the Royal Palm Golf and Country Club and to determine rules and regulations regarding new management in three months.
