ISLAMABAD, Feb 9 (APP): The meeting of Senate Standing Committee on Maritime Affairs on Monday chaired by its Chairman, Senator Muhammad Faisal Vawda directed for actions against corruption and illegal land allotments in Maritime sector.
The Chairman committee reviewed key operational, infrastructure, and governance matters related to the maritime sector, with particular focus on port performance, dredging operations, land management, and export facilitation, said a press release.
He also stressed the need to vacate encroached land. It was informed that 239 containers are delayed at Karachi International Container Terminal (KICT), mainly due to customs delays and the involvement of international companies. It was further highlighted that corruption worth approximately USD 40 million annually is linked to container clearance, with about Rs112,000 allegedly taken per container. KICT was directed to clear all backlog and eliminate corruption.
Senator Faisal Vawda seconded concerns regarding the Fisheries Harbour Authority, stating that transparency is lacking and significant land mismanagement has taken place at Korangi Fisheries. The committee observed that several boards are autonomous and require review. Senator Vawda stressed the need to restructure or eliminate ineffective board members.
The committee also directed compilation of data regarding land holdings across different areas, including Fisheries.
Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs, Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry assured the committee that the ministry is progressing in a positive direction. He stated that it is not possible to eliminate all systemic issues at once, and therefore the Ministry is adopting a step-by-step approach. He emphasized the need for full support from the Senate Committee and added that the Ministry is currently operating on the right track.
He stated that Pakistan has recently developed a National Dredging Company, which will be cost-effective and more attractive to the exporters.
The chairman, Karachi Port Trust (KPT), highlighted that the KPT has handled the ever second-highest cargo volume recently. KPT recorded a 9 percent growth in container handling and also achieved the highest cargo handling during the last year. He further informed that work is underway to increase the port’s draught depth to handle vessels up to 100,000 tons. Additionally, KPT is developing the largest Bulk Export Facility with a storage capacity of 8 million tons and the export volumes of clinker are expected to increase to 8.5 million tons from the existing 4.5 million tons. Out of approximately 400 ports operational worldwide, KPT currently stands at the 90th position. He added that the dredging activities are being carried out continuously at the port.
Ms. Rubina Qaim Khani pointed that the port is still facing dwell time issues in container clearance. The federal minister responded that a dedicated committee has been formed to address dwell time issues and that a significant reduction has already been witnessed.
Nadeem Bhutto questioned the role of the National Dredging Company. It was informed that AD Port Company has been allocated work worth USD 60 million, while remaining work has been assigned to the National Dredging Company. In the future, all dredging work will be allocated to the National Dredging Company.
The minister further informed that work is underway on a separate Lyari road to facilitate port operations. The Malir Expressway is also under construction and is expected to be completed by mid-2026. These road networks will facilitate 24/7 container transportation. The Chairman KPT informed that by July 2026, four freight trains will be operational to facilitate exports. He added that ML-1 connectivity from KPT will support faster and more efficient container transit.
The minister stated that the Ministry is committed to recovering land, vacating encroachments, and eliminating the involvement of property dealers. He thanked the Chairman Committee for the support and added that the Ministry is fully prepared to handle land litigations and take action against individuals previously involved in facilitating land grabbing.
The meeting was attended among others by Senators Pervaiz Rashid, Danesh Kumar, Nadeem Ahmed Bhutto and Rubina Qaim Khani. Senators Shahadat Awan, Syed Waqar Mehdi and Syed Masroor Ahsan also attended the Committee meeting as mover of an agenda item.