KARACHI, Oct 5: Industries and Production Minister Jehangir Khan Tareen on Tuesday visited Port Qasim to see its projects and facilities aimed at promoting industries.
Port Qasim Authority Secretary Afsaruddin Talpur briefed the minister about port's operations and land utilization for industrial and commercial entrepreneurs.
He said that total land with the port was 12,000 acres, which was divided into four industrial zones. Around 979 acres had so far been developed and made available for the allotment.
Now only 3,200 acres lied un-marked and its major portion was likely to be utilized for port-related projects like liquid cargo handling facility and grain storage facility, he added.
Some mega industrial projects i.e. textile city and Al-Watan industrial scheme were already in progress, he said. The minister was informed that the PQA had prepared its five-year plan for upgradation and expansion of the port facilities that includes improvement of roads and other subsidiary facilities in the port's vicinity. This expansion plan is mostly based on public-private partnership.
The minister noted that the port should acquire more land from the provincial government to make the port a hub of industries for small, medium and large industries.
He also emphasized that the land should be allotted to genuine investors instead of those who hold this prime land only for sale to earn profit. "We want real industrialization," he emphasized.
PQA Chairman Taj Muhammad Khattak informed the minister that the industrial land could be expanded eastwards if private ownerships and encroachment by some public sector organizations were cleared.
He said the PQA had surrendered 600 acres of land in favour of Pakistan Steel but it had failed to utilize it so far. Now it is very justified that this land should be returned to the PQA in the perspective of its fast increasing demand for industrial and commercial purposes.
The minister was told that the PQA could utilize the land of Bundal Island for the same purpose, which had been encroached upon by a public sector agency. "This land is ideal for the construction of oil terminals where more draught is available for huge oil tankers."
Similarly, a large area of land could be developed at Khiprianwala Island, which comprised segments of land and is located in Korangi Creek. The island was confronting fast erosion which should be checked at the earliest.
The encroachment and erosion of these islands were also destroying the port's diversity system and minimize attraction for port users, the PQA chairman pointed out.
Later, the minister went around the port facilities and visited industrial zones to see pace of industrialization and chalk out a strategy to ensure genuine and fast industrialization.
Mr Tareen took special interest in the textile city project. The project was being executed by the ministry of industries through private sector participation. -APP