ISLAMABAD: The Cabinet Committee on CPEC (CCoCPEC)) has directed Pakistan Navy (PN) to vacate 72 acres of land as the area falls in the Gwadar Free Zone and is required to be handed over to Chinese Concession Holder, an international obligation of the Government of Pakistan, well-informed sources told Business Recorder.
On February 22, 2021, Ministry of Maritime Affairs noted that Eastbay Expressway, a vital component of the CPEC project, was in the construction phase, which would connect Gwadar Port with the Makran Coastal Highway. The Expressway was passing through a piece of land measuring an area of 84 acres, out of which 72 acres were still in the possession of Pakistan Navy. As per the Master Plan of Gwadar Port and Concession Agreement between the Gwadar Port Authority and the Concession Holder, the land in question was designated for the Gwadar Free Zone. It was further noted that Pak Navy was allotted an alternate land of 1000 acres in Mauza Pishukan, Gwadar, in lieu of 584 acres previously under its possession in the Gwadar Free Zone area. The allotted land of 1000 acres had already been mutated in favour of Defence Division and possession delivered to Pak Navy. However, Pak Navy retained the possession of 84 acres out of 584 acres in the jurisdiction of Gwadar Free Zone and Right of Way (RoW) of Eastbay Expressway. Recently, after deliberations, Pak Navy had vacated 12 acres along the alignment of the Expressway; however, 72 acres were still in its possession. The Prime Minister vide a directive of June 10, 2005, directed Ministry of Defence/Pak Navy to vacate the land in question in its possession and shift to new cantonment by June, 2006. Later, Prime Minister's Office vide letter on May 28, 2014, directed that: "on handing over of 1000 acres of land, Pakistan Navy shall vacate and hand over the remaining 84 acres of land to Federal Government in order to allow a cohesive and complete development of the areas".
The meeting was informed that Ministry of Defence had yet to comply with the directions. The assertions of Defence Division were that since no instructions had been received from the Prime Minister's Office in response to its letter dated September 17, 2019 therefore, its stance still prevails. However, Ministry of Defence did not take into account the fact that the earlier directions of the Prime Minister's Office in this matter were still in the field and required to be implemented. Ministry of Maritime Affairs requested Ministry of Defence to direct Pak Navy for immediate vacation of the remaining 72 acres of land. Ministry of Defence requested to allow Pak Navy to retain 84 acres of land with sea frontage along Gwadar Eastbay in close proximity of the port in exchange for 84 acres (12+72 acres) of land in Mouza Pishukan. Ministry of Maritime Affairs took up the matter with Prime Minister's Office.
Subsequently, Prime Minister had directed Ministry of Maritime Affairs to place the matter for vacation of land, currently in possession of Pak Navy, before the Federal Cabinet along with views of Ministry of Defence. It was submitted that in the subject of Ministry of Maritime Affairs, inadvertently, the word "Coast Guards" was written in place of "Pakistan Navy". Except that all the contents of the letter are same and related to Pak Navy. Hence, the word "Coast Guard" may be read as "Pak Navy". The MoMA was of the view that the 1000 acres of land was allotted to Pak Navy in lieu of 500 acres in consultation with Ministry of Defence and its possession as with Pak Navy. Ministry of Maritime Affairs requested the Cabinet Committee on CPEC to issue directions to Ministry of Defence (Pak Navy) to implement the previous directions in the matter for immediate vacation of 72 acres of land at Mouza Shamba Ismael, Gwadar, as the area falls in the Gwadar Free Zone and is required to be handed over to Chinese Concession Holder, being the international obligation of the Government of Pakistan. After a detailed discussion, the committee approved the proposal with the direction to Ministry of Defence and Ministry of Maritime Affairs to prepare a revised clearance/vacation plan of land in the light of Concession Agreement and submit the same to the CCoCPEC within two weeks.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2021
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