A Parliamentary panel on Monday directed Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) and Ministry of Communications to improve mutual co-ordination to amicably resolve their issues and report to the panel. These directions were given by the National Assembly Standing Committee on Communications which met here under the chairmanship of MNA Muhammad Muzammil Qureshi. The committee asked the officials of the National Highways Authority (NHA) and WAPDA that delay in the projects cannot be tolerated.
The officials of NHA and WAPDA while briefing the participants informed that the issues of right of way (RoW) and transfer of electric poles related issues in Lahore, Abbottabad and Sheikhupura regions have been amicably resolved. Moreover, the WAPDA informed the committee members that there are two newly proposed interchanges in district Sheikhupura and the issues related to electric poles of these interchanges would be solved within four weeks. The committee directed the NHA that the compensation amount of Rs 13 million might be paid to the Peshawar Electric Supply Company (Pesco) to shift the electric poles from Haripur and Abbottabad to new locations.
The committee directed the PESCO and NHA officials to conduct a survey of Karakoram Highway (KKH) in district Abbottabad and beyond within one week, where the electric poles are to be transferred and the road is to be widened. Thereafter, the compensation amounts may be paid to the WAPDA authorities so that the KKH can be widened without any further delay. The standing committee directed the Ministry of Communications to furnish the national transport policy without wasting further time. The meeting was attended by MNAs Sarzameen Khan, Maiza Hameed, Darshan, Engineer Hamid-ul-Haq Khalil, Sanjay Parwani and Shahjehan Munir Mangrio, secretary communications and senior officers of WAPDA and NHA.