Islamabad:
An audit report, presented to the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), has raised an objection for a loss of 4 billion rupees caused by the non -allocation of 1,250 acres of land by the Port Qasim authority (PQA).
According to the report of the Pakistan General Auditor (AGP), a lease contract for the 1,250 acres of land between Port Qasim and the Telecommunications Company of Pakistan Limited (PTCL) was signed.
In 2021, the decision was made to cancel the lease. However, the government’s decision to cancel the lease contract was not implemented for two years. A reimbursement of RS4 billion to the PTCL has not been made. The 1,250 acres of land have not been reallocated.
The maritime secretary of maritime affairs told the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) that the issue of this land lease is 19 years old and that the Earth remained with the PTCL from 2006 to 2021.
“Originally it was given to PTCL to establish the industrial zone of the textile city. The PTCL could not develop the industrial zone in these 19 years. After the cancellation of the lease, this land of 1,250 acres is now recovering,” he added.
According to the secretary, the PQA will also eliminate PTCL pending expenses.
The president of PAC, Junaid Akbar Khan, asked how many income were generated from the lease contract of 1,250 acres. Port Qasim officials responded that once RS901 million were received, and RS621 million are still due. The PAC then ordered the Ministry of Maritime Affairs to resolve all matters related to the audit within six months.
