Islamabad, Mar 10, 2025: The Prime Minister has established a three-member investigative committee to probe the Port Qasim land deal, valued at over Rs. 60 billion.
Senator Faisal Vawda recently exposed this alleged scandal, asserting that authorities allocated the land at a price far below its actual market value.
The estimated worth of 500 acres of land in Port Qasim exceeds Rs. 60 billion.
An official notification from the Prime Minister’s Office states that Brigadier (Retd) Muzaffar Ali Ranjha, head of the Prime Minister’s Inspection Commission, will chair the high-level inquiry panel.
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Other committee members include Syed Shahid Hassan, Director of the Intelligence Bureau, and the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Director.
Their primary task is to assess the Port Qasim Authority’s (PQA) legal approach in lifting stay orders that had blocked the lease cancellation for twelve years.
The committee will also scrutinize the rationale behind the PQA Board’s decision to resolve the matter outside of court, evaluating any legal opinions that justified this move.
The investigation will determine whether PQA reassessed the land’s valuation before finalizing the settlement and properly considered current market prices.
The committee will also examine why officials did not withdraw the proposed settlement immediately after the litigant declined it.
Additionally, it will identify any procedural or governance lapses that caused the prolonged delay.
The Ministry of Maritime Affairs will offer administrative assistance to the inquiry panel and formally notify its formation.
The committee must submit its findings within two weeks for the Prime Minister’s review.
Senator Faisal Vawda, who chairs the Senate Standing Committee on Maritime Affairs, initially highlighted the alleged unauthorized allocation and sale of 500 acres of Port Qasim land during a committee session.
Following these revelations, the committee ordered a freeze on all leased properties within the port.
During discussions, Faisal Vawda referenced media reports, reiterating that the actual market price of 500 acres of land in Port Qasim exceeds Rs. 60 billion, yet it was allegedly allocated at a fraction of this value.
The investigation aims to uncover alleged irregularities and hold responsible parties accountable in one of Pakistan’s most significant land transactions.
