Over 1,400 acres of Karachi Port Trust land encroached, govt plans recovery: report

Nearly one-third of Karachi Port Trust’s (KPT) total land—1,448 acres—has been encroached, with portions allegedly taken over with political backing, while 30 acres of Port Qasim Authority (PQA) land also remain occupied, according to a report by The News. 

The report cited sources from the Defence Ministry that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has been briefed about this highly valuable coastal land encroachment as part of a maritime sector revamp plan. The prime minister has approved a plan that assigns Sindh Rangers and other authorities the task of reclaiming encroached land. 

In addition to KPT land, around 350 acres of federally owned land is also under the control of the Sindh government.

A spokesperson for the Sindh chief minister stated that he was unaware of the land disputes between the Sindh government and KPT and could not provide an immediate response.

Encroachment has led to significant space constraints at KPT, where thousands of seized containers await Customs clearance. Of KPT’s total 8,644 acres, nearly 1,098 acres are illegally occupied. 

The encroachments include temporary structures such as makeshift shops, hotels, and cattle farms, as well as permanent buildings, including houses, mosques, and warehouses. Some leased properties have also expanded beyond their allotted boundaries.

A major issue is Katchi Abadis, with unauthorized settlements like Sultana-Bad, Machar Colony, Saleh-Abad, Hijrat Colony, and Dock Colony spread across the encroached land. 

The Sindh government has reportedly issued unauthorized documentation for land in Baba Island and Kaka Peer since 1993, despite KPT’s authority over these areas. 

KPT has filed a constitutional petition in the Sindh High Court for the recovery of its land, but efforts have been hindered by a lack of cooperation from the Sindh Police and legal obstacles.

The 2002 Port Security Force Ordinance mandated the appointment of two magistrates to oversee offenses and encroachments at the harbor and port areas. However, despite legal provisions, the designated magistrate responsible for handling encroachments has yet to be appointed.

At PQA, the encroachment of 30 acres affects key areas, including 7.84 acres in the Gulshan-e-Benazir Township Scheme and 22 acres near Ghandhara Nissan Automobiles. The total land area of PQA is 13,770 acres.