The Senate Standing Committee on maritime affairs expressed dismay on Friday over the delay in the release of funds for the operation and maintenance of the Pakistan China Technical and Vocational Institute in Gwadar.
In a meeting chaired by Senator Rubina Khalid, the committee discussed the progress on efforts for acquiring the remaining land for the development of Gwadar port in conformity with the master plan. A representative of the Gwadar Port Authority was told that the Balochistan government has banned the acquisition of land in the town. He requested the committee to persuade the government to lift the ban.
The committee said that a revised PC-1 has been submitted to the ministry of planning to carry out the remaining work on the technical and vocational institute in Gwadar. GPA chairman said that an annual budget of 300 million had been sought from the federal government for running the Pakistan China Technical and Vocational Insitute, but the approval was awaited.
The committee directed the maritime affairs to approach the planning division again and secure the funding for the operation of the technical institute.
The committee was informed that a summary was submitted to the Pakistani prime minister in January 2019 for the acquisition of land for Gwadar port. Former prime minister Imran Khan directed the maritime affairs ministry to make a presentation, the ministry sought an appointment from the PM Office for a presentation, but it could not take place over the last three years.
Senator Kauda Babar was of the opinion that the committee was not utilizing the already acquired land, and there was no need to give them more land.