July 23, 2008	Wednesday	Rajab 19, 1429

KARACHI, July 22: Ports and Shipping Minister Qamar Zaman Kaira has constituted a three-member committee to look into the issue of land compensation to the people who vacated their villages more than three decades ago for the establishment of the Port Qasim and its related facilities.

The committee comprising PQA Chairman Real Admiral (retired) Syed Afzal, MNA Sher Mohammad Baloch, who is also a member of the PQA board of directors, and a representative of PQA workers union would present a report to the minister within the next 15 days, suggesting the formula to settle the issue pending for the last 35 years.

The ports and shipping minister was on his way to the port to join its 35th anniversary celebrations when he took notice of a protest demonstration staged by a group of the affected families near the Port Qasim to raise the issue. He was accompanying Federal Labour, Manpower and Overseas Minister Khursheed Ahmed Shah. Sindh Assembly Speaker Nisar Ahmed Khuhro, MNA Sher Mohammad Baloch and MPA Haji Muzaffar Shujrah were also present.

MNA Sher Mohammad Baloch pointed out that the locals were neglected in the past as they were neither paid any land compensations nor offered jobs in Port Qasim. Besides, no support was offered to them for their rehabilitation.

Issuing a directive to the police for immediate release of the demonstrators, the minister assured that as soon as he received the report from the three-member committee he would try to clear the land compensation amount. He asked the PQA management to offer jobs to the local, wherever possible, since they deserved support for sacrificing a lot on account of the port and other facilities.

20pc raise in salaries

Promising a 20 per cent increase in the salaries of Port Qasim Authority employees, Mr Kaira said that contract workers and daily-wage earners would be regularised in pursuance with the federal government’s decision.

In addition to routine Eid bonus, employees would also get three bonuses announced earlier, he reiterated.He asked the PQA management to grant loans to lower-cadre employees on easy terms from its funds or arrange the same from some banks/ financial institutions for the construction of their houses in Gulshan-i-Qasim, the residential scheme for PQA employees. He said the commercial land in Gulshan-i-Qasim could also be sold out to raise funds for the development of infrastructure and arrange the required utilities for the timely execution of the housing scheme.

Besides, the minister promised that a hospital named after Benazir Bhutto would be constructed in Gulshan-i-Qasim.

Chairpersons of Karachi Port Trust, Gwadar and PNSC besides a large number of PQA officers and workers participated in the celebrations.—APP