Audit report revealed that Karachi Port Trust (KPT) allotted land on lease for Rs0.18 per square meter per annum to the Defense Housing Authority (DHA), resulting in a loss of Rs104 billion.

The audit report of the Ministry of Naval Affairs was reviewed in the Public Accounts Committee meeting chaired by PAC Chairman Noor Alam Khan.

Audit officials revealed that the KPT had allotted land to various housing societies, causing a loss of Rs8 billion annually. In total, in 16 years, the institution has lost 104 billion rupees, Karachi Port Trust has never inquired about this matter despite instructions.

The chairman committee inquired that land was allotted to housing societies in 1996 and 2005.

Committee member Nuzhat Pathan said that this land was the property of the Sindh government and was given for business purposes.

The committee while examining the Audit Report expressed displeasure over the bad governance of the former chairman of the KPT Board and requested the prime minister not to post him anywhere because he allegedly committed several irregularities while awarding contracts to disqualified bidders and giving government’s land on lease on unimaginable lowest rates.

Chairman PAC appreciated Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for his unflinching support to the committee for its smooth functioning and accountability across the board.

“I must appreciate prime minister. I met him twice and he assured full support for the committee as he never interfered in the business of PAC because he himself had been heading the committee in the past, therefore, he is well aware of the scope and mandate of PAC,” said Chairman Noor Alam.

However, the committee appreciated the performance of the incumbent Chairman of KPT.

Public Accounts Committee also decided to hold next meetings in Gwadar and on the same day would travel by air to Port Qasim Authority and Karachi Port Trust (KPT) with the purpose to discuss their audit reports’ objections on the anomalies in these departments.

On the indication of one of the committee’s member, the committee sought details as to how many officers had been placed on deputation in the government departments during last six months.

The Chairman PAC also constituted four sub-committees of PAC consisting of four members. The sub-committees would be headed each by MNA Ms. Wajiha Qamar, MNA Ch. Muhammad Barjees Tahir, Senator Saleem Mandviwalla and Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed.

The committee directed the Secretary Ministry of Maritimes Affairs to provide the PAC with a list showing how many trucks were stacked up in KPT shipyard.

The committee directed the secretary to strive hard to make recoveries and directed to pursue court cases vigorously.

Two paras were also referred to NAB for inquiries and directions were also issued to the Secretary to fix responsibility on the officer(s) for violating law.