Shehbaz Sharif Orders Inquiry Into Rs60 Billion Port Qasim Land Scandal

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has formed a three-member inquiry committee to investigate alleged financial irregularities in the leasing of 500 acres at Port Qasim Authority (PQA), amid claims of a Rs60 billion corruption scandal, as reported by BR.

The probe follows concerns raised by Senator Faisal Vawda, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Maritime Affairs, who accused a federal minister of “criminal negligence” in the controversial land deal. The committee has been instructed to complete its investigation within two weeks and submit a detailed report.

According to an official notification from the Prime Minister’s Office, the land was originally designated for small and medium industrial parks, but questions have emerged regarding the transparency of the leasing process.

The inquiry will be led by the Chairman of the Prime Minister’s Inspection Commission, alongside Intelligence Bureau (IB) Director Sirajuddin Amjad and Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Director Syed Shahid Hussain. The investigation will assess whether financial discrepancies occurred, if the PQA Board properly re-evaluated the land’s worth, and whether market values were considered before settling the case out of court.

It will also examine why the settlement offer remained active despite the petitioner’s rejection and investigate governance lapses that delayed the case’s resolution. The committee has the authority to appoint additional members if necessary, while the Ministry of Maritime Affairs will provide secretarial support.

The government is expected to take corrective action based on the committee’s findings, which will be submitted to the Prime Minister within the given timeframe.

During a Senate Standing Committee on Maritime Affairs session on February 19, 2025, Senator Faisal Vawda alleged that the PQA leased prime land at undervalued rates, causing a Rs60 billion loss to the national exchequer. He claimed that 500 acres, valued at Rs40 million per acre, were allotted for just Rs1 million per acre, with an additional 200 acres sold at similarly reduced prices.

A day later, on February 20, the Senate Committee responded by halting all land allotments and acquisitions at Port Qasim and Karachi Port Trust (KPT).

Under increasing scrutiny, the Port Qasim Authority (PQA) issued a statement on February 23, defending its land allotment process and denying financial irregularities. The PQA clarified that the land was allocated through a competitive bidding process between 2005 and 2010. However, the successful bidder failed to make payments, leading to a cancellation notice in 2012.

The case remained unresolved for over a decade due to a Sindh High Court stay order. In 2024, the PQA Board proposed an out-of-court settlement, but the matter was put on hold after the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Karachi requested case records.

The Port Qasim Authority has reaffirmed its commitment to legal compliance and transparency, rejecting claims of financial mismanagement.