Maritime Minister chairs key progress review meeting on land reforms of ports
Karachi :— Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs, Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry chaired a high-level progress review meeting to assess and accelerate ongoing land reform initiatives at the Port Qasim Authority (PQA) and Karachi Port Trust (KPT).
The meeting brought together senior officials to evaluate current progress, discuss key strategies, and identify coordinated solutions to long-standing issues of land encroachment and underutilization at the two major seaports.
During the meeting, the Federal Minister underscored the strategic importance of safeguarding and developing ports land for sustainable economic growth and investment.
He suggested both PQA and KPT to form a joint anti-encroachment force with the mandate to secure and protect the property of both ports from illegal occupation and misuse.
The Minister emphasized that this dedicated force should operate with full authority and coordination with local law enforcement agencies to ensure effective on-ground enforcement.
“The maritime sector is a critical pillar of Pakistan’s economic framework. We cannot allow valuable port land, which holds tremendous economic potential, to remain encroached or underutilized,” said Minister Chaudhry. “It is imperative that both PQA and KPT work together to enforce land protection measures, implement digital transparency, and enable private sector investment through proper planning and legal frameworks.”
Management of the Port Qasim Authority briefed the Minister on the ongoing initiatives being undertaken as part of a new comprehensive masterplan. This masterplan will include the regularization and optimal use of leftover pockets of land, reclaimed areas, and currently non-utilized plots. These spaces are intended to be repurposed for high-value investment, commercial use, and strategic infrastructure development aligned with national economic priorities.
A significant highlight of the meeting was the PQA’s plan to introduce a digital land automation system, a standalone module that will bring transparency, traceability, and operational efficiency to land management. The system will be fully integrated with the PQA Port ERP system, enabling seamless data synchronization, digital record-keeping, and real-time decision-making.
The Karachi Port Trust (KPT) management also presented their updates and reaffirmed their commitment to addressing the issue of encroachment on port land. The KPT officials informed the Federal Minister that enforcement actions are already underway and that the Trust is closely collaborating with the Survey of Pakistan, which is actively conducting a detailed land demarcation survey to accurately identify and map the boundaries of KPT land holdings. This demarcation exercise is expected to pave the way for stronger legal action against encroachments and provide a foundation for more informed land-use planning.
Minister Junaid Anwar Chaudhry lauded both authorities for their ongoing efforts but reiterated the urgency of translating planning into tangible results.
The Minister also expressed his resolve to personally oversee the progress of these initiatives and announced that monthly review meetings will be held to monitor implementation and resolve inter-agency bottlenecks. He urged all maritime stakeholders to align their activities with the national vision of sustainable port development and economic resilience.
“The maritime sector holds the key to transforming Pakistan into a regional trade and logistics hub. Unlocking the potential of port land through strategic reforms, enforcement, and digitization is a top priority of our ministry,” said the Minister.
The meeting concluded with a commitment from both PQA and KPT leadership to work in unison toward a modern, secure, and investment-ready port infrastructure framework.
Sohail Majeed is a Special Correspondent at The Diplomatic Insight. He has twelve plus years of experience in journalism & reporting. He covers International Affairs, Diplomacy, UN, Sports, Climate Change, Economy, Technology, and Health.
