National Highway Authority (NHA) is working on over 1400 roads and bridges project across the country to provide a reliable road network at a cost of Rs 144 billion. This was informed by Minister for Communications Arbab Aalamgir Khan while responding a question during question hour in Senate on Wednesday.
He said that work on the projects has been slowed down due to financial constraints; however, in Balochistan, besides the financial constraints the poor law and order situation was also responsible in this regard. He also suggested the Chairman Senate to constitute a special committee of the House to prioritise the projects. To a question, he said 37 percent projects were underway in Balochistan for which the government has provided over Rs 4 billion during the current financial year.
To another question, he said that NHA was also working on 28 development projects in Larkana and Multan districts. About Balochistan, the Minister in a written reply informed the House that an amount of Rs 11,631.171 million were originally allocated for 20 NHA projects under PSDP 2010-2011. However, he added that the allocation was revised to Rs 9869.086 million, which included foreign aid of Rs 1,913. 728 million for the on-going schemes including Nutal -Sibi -Dhadar, Gwadar-Turbat -Hoshab, Khori -Quba Saeed Khan, Kalat-Quetta-Chaman and others. The highest allocation among all the projects was of Rs 4,115.546 for Hoshab-Nag-Basima-Surab, 459 km long road (N-85), he added.
Out of total revised allocation, he said that an amount of Rs 4,668.483 including Rs 2,596.551 million and Foreign aid of Rs 2, 071.932 million has been utilised during July 2010 to February 2011.
He said that Asian Development Bank (ADB) provided an amount of Rs 1,046.636 million and Rs 845.217 for Hub-Uthal and Qilla Saifullah-Zhob projects respectively while JICA has given an amount of Rs 180.079 million for Kararo-Wad project. He further said that there was one new scheme for links/services roads from adjoining villages and two UN Funded projects of Quetta Western Bypass and Surab-Kalat.
Meanwhile, Minister for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs told the House that a total of 618 cases were pending in National Accountability Bureau (NAB), Islamabad. The Minister said that completion of inquiries and start of investigations was a continuous process and collection of evidence, tracing movement of corruption money and delayed response from accused persons/departments were major reasons for not starting investigations.
He said that the Bureau utilises its maximum available resources for in-time completion of inquiries and subsequent start of investigations. The maximum inquiries, which are under progress are expected to be completed in the next six months by starting investigations, if required, the Minister added. He further told the House that as per the decision taken in the 16th Director Generals' Conference held on January 27-28, 2011, inquiries pending for five years or more are to be decided expeditiously.
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