ETPB allocates Rs7m for Kartarpur project
The Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) has started issuing funds for the Project Management Unit (PMU) Kartarpur, a self-revenue generating body that manages the Kartarpur Corridor Project.
The Kartarpur Corridor Project is a visa-free border crossing and religious corridor, connecting the Gurudwara Darbar Sahib in Pakistan to Gurudwara Dera Baba Nanak in India.
Source told The Express Tribune that after the approval of the federal government, the ETPB has initially provided funds worth Rs7 million. Starting from January 2024, the board will provide the PMU Kartarpur a monthly payment of Rs13 million.
The ETPB will provide an amount of Rs312 million in grants to PMU Kartarpur during a two-year period to stabilize its financial position.
During the 353rd meeting of the ETPB in October 2023, the PMU Kartarpur chief executive officer had informed the board's chairman and members about the unit’s severe financial losses.
Later, the board members had unanimously approved the provision of Rs13 million monthly to the PMU for a period of two years. After receiving approval from the federal government, the accounts section of the ETPB has initiated the provision of funds to the PMU Kartarpur.
PMU Kartarpur requires a substantial budget to manage administrative affairs.
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It is striving to cover expenses from the revenue generated through entry fees charged from pilgrims and tourists, which, however, are exceedingly insufficient.
The government established the PMU Kartarpur on Nov 1, 2021. It works under the administrative control of the ETPB and Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony. The ETPB carries out necessary coordination with other departments responsible for the smooth functioning of the project.
Additionally, the ETPB has sought assistance from the religious affairs ministry for the appointment of a suitable officer from the federal government as the deputy secretary (shrines).
According to the sources, ETPB Secretary Farid Iqbal has sent a letter to the concerned section officer at the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony in this regard.
The letter says in light of the instructions issued by the Cabinet Secretary, Establishment Division, on August 15, 2022, Saifullah Khokhar, deputy director (grade-18), was appointed as deputy secretary (shrines) in the ETPB for a period of three years.
Subsequently, his designation was altered to deputy secretary (admin) PMU Kartarpur.
The letter suggests that the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony should propose the appointment of an officer from the federal government for the position of deputy secretary (shrines) in order to assign them responsibilities.
The ETPB recently delegated additional responsibilities of the deputy secretary (shrines) to one of its employees Nadim Dharejo.
The ETPB, a statutory board of the Government of Pakistan, is a key government department which administers evacuee properties, including educational, charitable or religious trusts left behind by Hindus and Sikhs who migrated to India after partition