KARACHI, Jun 06 (APP):Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs Ali
Haider Zaidi Sunday expressed his annoyance over the delayed reopening
of Karachi Port Trust (KPT) Overpass which was closed about two years ago.
The Minister said it was regrettable that it took two years to fix
a minor issue in the bridge and an enquiry would be conducted in this
regard.
Talking to media on the occasion Ali Haider Zaidi said that the
reopening of the bridge would ensure smooth flow of traffic towards PICT
and Port.
To a question, he answered that he would continue to keep strict
supervision on the lands of Karachi Port Trust (KPT) because during the
tenure of previous governments the KPT lands were leased on nepotism and
other malpractices.
The Minister said he had stopped the lease of KPT lands two years
ago to halt such malpractices in the process. He announced that a
technology city would be set up on KPT property for which open tenders
would be issued.
Ali Zaidi said that work on ferry terminal was underway with fast
pace. The Ministry of Maritime Affairs, he said, had been totally
converted to e-filling system and the outdated procedure of movement of
files had been discarded.
He said according to 18th Constitutional Amendment, the unclaimed
coastal areas within 12 nautical miles were the property of provincial
government while outside 12 nautical miles they were the jurisdiction of
federal government.
Ali Haider Zaidi said that Environment department was being
administered by provincial government of Sindh, they should be asked why
about 550 million gallon of sewage water was being dumped into the sea
on daily basis.
“In 2019, I was supervising the cleaning of drains, although it was
not the responsibility of federal government. In 2020 the drains were
not cleaned by the provincial government and as a result the rain water
entered the houses of citizens”, he remarked.
Earlier, the Federal Minister also reprimanded the officials of KPT
Public Relations department for not facilitating the media personnel.
