NA passes ‘Pakistan Land Port Authority Bill 2025'
Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry tabled the bill in the House for passage.
The House passed the bill with majority by incorporating several amendments moved by Naveed Qamar of Pakistan People's Party (PPP).
'Pakistan Land Port Authority': 'Final' approval blocked by minister
After the bill becoming into law, Pakistan would become the third South Asian country, after Bangladesh and India, to have a land port authority. The Bangladesh Land Port Authority was created in 2002, while India did so in March 2012.
Qamar presented 18 amendments in several clauses of the bill and the House passed it by adopting them.
Member of the National Assembly (MNA) Ali Zahid, who was chairing the session, ordered the clause-by-clause reading of the bill, PPP's Qamar stood and raised party's reservations on some clauses.
The proposed legislation will provide a framework for the declaration, regulation, security and oversight of all land ports for promoting trade, fostering free competition, implementing border control and protecting the country's strategic interests.
The port authority will establish a robust mechanism to carry out effective coordination with border agencies for trade facilitation in pursuance of commitments under international agreements and conventions for improved land port efficiency and regional port competitiveness.
The bill also proposes the establishment of a 16-member governing council for supervising the authority.
According to the statement of objects and reasons of the bill, 'it is expedient to establish a land port authority to provide and administer an integrated system of facilities for cross border movement of goods and passengers at land ports in Pakistan to make provision for its operation, management, development of Land port and matters connected therewith and ancillary matter.'
It was further said, 'In order to provide a framework for the declaration, regulation, security and oversight of all land ports for purposes of promoting trade, fostering free competition, implementing border control and protecting the national and strategic interests of Pakistan for effective governance of land ports.
Further, it is imperative to establish a robust mechanism to carry our effective coordination with border agencies for trade facilitation in pursuance of the commitments of Pakistan under international agreements and conventions for enhanced land port efficiency and regional port competitiveness.'
Currently, there is no single agency for the coordinated functioning of various government authorities and service providers at international border points.
This lack of coordination sometimes causes a delay in the flow of goods and passengers.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
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