ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Railways is planning to float an international tender to run the Royal Palm Golf and Country Club on commercial lines and lease basis.
“Facilities like three cinema houses, marquees and a leading golf club are available at the premises,” an official in the Ministry of Railways told media. “The club is worth billions of rupees but was occupied by a mafia since 2001.”
He said following the directives of the Supreme Court, Railways Minister Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed has formed a nine-member management committee under the chairmanship of Railways Secretary Sikandar Sultan Raja.
Other members of the committee included PR Chief Executive Officer Aftab Akbar, Additional General Manager (Traffic) Zubair Shafi Ghouri, AGM (Mechanical) Ijaz Ahmed, Finance Member Manzoor Akhtar, AGM (Infrastructure) Dost Ali Leghari and Railways Police Inspector General Wajid Zia, he added.
The management committee would invite an international tender within three months regarding Royal Palm Golf and Country Club, he stated, adding that Pakistan Railways would not tolerate land grabbing in the future.
The official said that the affairs of the club would be run smoothly as per schedule, and Pakistan Railways would not cancel the membership of anybody.
It is pertinent to mention that the apex court had directed to hand over the Royal Palm Golf and Country Club to the Pakistan Railways after nullifying the previous contract.
Justice Sheikh Azmat Saeed and Justice Ijazul Ahsan had issued the verdict at the Supreme Court Lahore Registry.
The court ordered the Railways administration to handle all the affairs of the Royal Palm Golf and Country Club and to determine rules and regulations regarding the new management in three months.
