KARACHI: Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs, Syed Ali Haider Zaidi on Saturday witnessed ground-breaking of infrastructure development projects at Port Qasim’s industrial zones and balloting of residential plots for Port Qasim Authority’s employees in Gulshan-e-Benazir Township Scheme of the port.
The Minister, on this occasion, announced scholarship for the daughter of Assistant Sub-Inspector Muhammad Bakhsh Buriro, who valiantly put his daughter’s life at risk to apprehend the culprits in Alishah’s case in Kashmore. Thus, he set an example for other police officials that they must not hesitate from accepting any challenge and giving any kind sacrifice to fulfill the great responsibility entrusted upon them by the nation.
” The ASI and his daughter both deserve appreciation for their heroic act,” he remarked adding that Prime Minister Imran Khan had also praised the ASI and his daughter. On the directives of the Prime Minister, scholarship for ASI’s daughter was being announced from PQA’s Corporate Social Responsibility fund.
He underlined the need for reforms in Sindh Police to make them purely professional and public-friendly force.
Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs appreciated Chairman PQA, Rear Admiral (Retd) Syed Hasan Nasir Shah for his commitment and well-planned efforts for the development of the port.
He hoped that the development projects would be completed within stipulated contractual period.
He said there was need for setting up a Maritime Services Company to provide dredging and other related services to the sea-ports, which used to spend their huge budget on dredging of their channels and to get other required services.
He noted that there was huge growth potential in Port Qasim and Karachi Port which could be utilized to earn big amount of money. In the past, havoc was played with these national assets. Since 2008, no financial audit was done in Port Qasim and in KPT since 2010. However, he said, with resumption of his office as Maritime Affairs Minister he ordered detailed audit of the both ports and in Port Qasim it had been completed up to 2016 and in KPT the process was also going on.
Syed Ali Haider Zaidi lamented that some elements were busy in spreading wrong information through media about LNG terminals at Port Qasim and warned them to desist from such irresponsible statements. Otherwise, they would get harsh response and would have to face humiliation before the nation.
PQA’s Chairman Rear Admiral (Retd) Syed Hasan Nasir Shah, in his welcome address, briefed about the historical development in Port Qasim, which was set up in 1973 and it commissioned its first berth for Iron Ore and Coal Berth in 1980 to support Pakistan Steel Mills operations. Now, it has 15 state-of-the-art mechanized terminals.
He said Port Qasim, being only port with LNG terminals, had become ‘energy hub’ of the country.
He apprised the Minister of the current contracts for infrastructure development in the industrial zones including those of three contractors for roads, sewerae and water supply systems.
He said the Port Qasim had great potential for development and the management had been trying its best to fully exploit it. Port Qasim was one of the fast growing entities in public sector having working capital of Rs 36 billion.
About the future port projects, he said the final letters of interest for two more LNG terminals had been issued to M/s. Energas (Pvt.) Ltd and M/s. Tabeer Energy (Pvt.) Ltd. Moreover, letter of interest for 2nd integrated oil terminal had been issued to Frontier Works Organization.
He said the port was planning for two multi-purpose terminals and one integrated Container terminal in upcoming years.
He said the port was in process of procurement of four LNG Tugs, two Pilot Boats and two Mooring Boats.
The event was also attended by senior officers of PQA, representatives of private port facilities and industrialists.

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