ISLAMABAD: The Senate Functional Committee on Problems of Less Developed Areas expressed serious concern over persistent delays in ongoing development projects and the implementation of commitments to underdeveloped regions and constituted a sub-committee to review the implementation of the Aghaz-e-Haqooq-e-Balochistan Package and submit recommendations to address the outstanding issues.
The committee also expressed serious concern over the absence of the Minister for Communications and the Secretary of Communications.
The Senate Functional Committee on Problems of Less Developed Areas met on Monday at Parliament House under the chairmanship of Senator Niaz Ahmed.
The meeting was attended by Senators Kazim Ali Shah, Talha Mehmood, Danesh Kumar, Jan Muhammad Khan, and Aslam Abro, along with senior officials from the National Highway Authority (NHA), Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), Universal Service Fund (USF), and other relevant departments.
At the outset, the committee expressed serious concern over the absence of the Minister for Communications and the Secretary for Communications. Members also criticized the failure of the Ministry and the concerned departments to provide briefing papers to the committee well in advance. The committee observed that convening parliamentary meetings without proper preparation not only undermines effective oversight but also results in an unnecessary burden on the public exchequer. The absence of senior officers from the relevant departments was also strongly noted.
The committee received a detailed briefing on the progress of the N-45 project, comprising Section-I (38.85 km), Section-II (43.39 km), and Section-III (47.98 km).
NHA officials informed the committee that the project is being financed by the Korea Eximbank and that Rs.500 million has been allocated under the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) 2026-27. Section III is currently at the procurement stage. Technical qualification documents were submitted to the sponsoring agency, and feedback received in April 2026 was responded promptly. The Authority is still awaiting a final response. Three joint ventures have been technically qualified for the project.
Senator Talha Mehmood expressed concern over the prolonged delay in the project, stating that continued procedural bottlenecks would significantly escalate project costs while causing persistent hardships for the local population. The committee further recommended that a formal letter be addressed to the Korea Eximbank to seek clarification regarding the delay and assure the Bank of the Committee’s full support in resolving any impediments to the timely execution of the project.
The committee was informed that a total allocation of Rs.224.1 billion has been made for NHA during the current financial year. Of this amount, Rs.118 billion has been allocated for Balochistan, Rs.27.5 billion for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Rs.49.3 billion for Sindh, Rs.21.5 billion for Punjab, and Rs.8 billion for Gilgit-Baltistan.
Senator Danesh Kumar voiced concern over the prolonged completion period of several ongoing projects, observing that some schemes could take as long as 10 to 14 years to complete.
Senator Talha Mehmood emphasized that the government should undertake only those development projects for which sufficient financial resources are available to ensure their timely completion. NHA officials informed the committee that priority is being accorded to projects that have already achieved between 80 and 90 percent physical progress.
The committee also received a briefing on the human resource structure of NHA. Officials informed the members that the Authority currently operates through four service streams. Against a sanctioned strength of 2,750 employees, no fresh recruitment has been made since 2017. The committee was informed that a new recruitment policy is being finalized to ensure the implementation of the prescribed quota system.
Senator Jan Muhammad Khan recommended that NHA officers should undertake official inspections by road rather than by air so they can personally assess the condition of the country’s highways. The committee was informed that employees serving in Balochistan receive a hardship allowance equivalent to 25 percent of their basic pay. The committee recommended that officers posted in hardship areas should remain stationed there to ensure effective supervision and implementation of development projects.
The committee was further briefed on the LPG Air Mix Plants procured for Chitral. Senator Talha Mehmood expressed concern that three plants purchased in 2017 at a cost of approximately Rs.170 million have yet to be installed. Officials informed the committee that the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) had raised objections regarding the installation due to inadequate supporting infrastructure and logistical constraints in transporting the plants to the designated sites.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026
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