A tug of war has started between Karachi Port Trust (KPT) and City District Government Karachi (CDGK) over land ownership at Clifton beach. The land along with sea, land and water 50 metres in front of seashore was the property of the federal government, and hence, provincial government has nothing to do with it.
The KPT has rejected the claim of Sindh government that the land of proposed Port Tower project was its property.
Details available said that on November 16, 2005 a meeting of KPT officers was held with Sindh government representatives on the issue of KPT lands.
The meeting was presided over by Sindh Chief Minister Dr Arbab Ghulam Rahim. KPT officials presented their point of view. While referring to the Article 274, 172 (2) of the Constitution and Section 50 of Land Revenue Act, they said that the land along with sea, and land and water 50 metres in front of seashore was the property of federal government, and provincial government had nothing to do with it.
They said that this land was given to KPT by the Government of India (federal government) through a gazette notification.
The KPT had been using the land inside KPT port limits since 1875, and Sindh government on many occasions had accepted this right.
All development works including proposed project of Port Tower were being carried out on the land of KPT, they said, and added that this land was situated in the limits of KPT, according to the notification of federal government, and Sindh government had nothing to do with it.
The claim of the Sindh government that it had given this land to KPT was contrary to facts and law.
The KPT officials said that intervention of Sindh government in this regard was illegal.