Projects under CPEC: MoF, PD secretaries asked to update panel on non-releases of funds

The Senate Standing Committee on Communications on Monday noted that there is widespread perception in the country that the present PTI government has slowed down work on projects under China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) by not releasing funds for the ongoing projects.
The committee which met with Senator Hidayat Ullah in the chair also called secretary Ministry of Finance and secretary Planning Division to its next meeting to update the panel on the non-releases of funds to the ongoing projects under the CPEC.
"There is widespread perception among the people that work on CPEC has been stopped. If you are not releasing the required funds for the projects well on time, this perception will certainly be created," observed the chairman of the committee.
Senator Ahmed Khan criticised the Finance Ministry and the Planning Division for, what he called, mismanaged approach by neglecting the Western Corridor under the CPEC.
"The problem is that we are leaving no stone unturned to prove that the Western Corridor of CPEC has been shelved. This is not creating a good impression, especially in Balochistan where people are eagerly waiting for the route to complete well on time," the senator further said.
He pointed out that no release has been made so far and the second quarter of the financial year is starting from October, adding that the major allocation will be released in quarter starting from January 2020. "When do we expect the project to be completed?" he asked.
Briefing the committee on the CPEC's western and eastern common routes, officials from Ministry of Communications said that the Havellian-Thahkot section is 118.057 km long and the work progress is 88.33 percent. They said that its expressway section Havellian-Mansehra is 95.94 percent complete and will be opened for traffic by 15 October.
They said that the class-two highway section Mansehra-Thahkot is also under progress while a 3-km section on the link road is to be completed by provincial government.
The committee was informed that progress on the Yarik-Hakla section, which is 292.50 km long, is delayed because only Rs 11 billion have been allocated in this financial year and no amount has been received in the first quarter, while there is a need of Rs 51 billion for the remaining work.
Discussing the matter regarding land of local residents on both sides of Super Highway (M9 Motorway) raised by Senator Maula Bakhsh Chandio, the committee was informed that local residents of Hyderabad city have been given toll exemption at the NHA Jamshoro Toll Plaza as directed by the committee.
The committee was also given details of officers working in grade-17 and above in NHA. It was told that out of 3,269 employees, 498 are in BPS-17 and above.
Out of these, 393 are regular, 85 are on contract and 20 are on deputation. From these 498, 14 officers are on PC-1 acting charge promotion but all of these promotions were done before last one year.
The committee sought details of the status of the contractual employees and was told that after regularization orders of the contractual employees by the committee formulated some time back, the matter is now sub judice in court. The committee also asked to submit details of the officers on deputation and details of all officers to see whether provincial quota is being observed.
Senator Ashok Kumar raised the matter of some problems for petrol pumps on M9 motorway.
The meeting was attended among others by Senators Behramand Tangi, Fida Mohammad, Maula Bakhsh Chandio, Ateeq Shaikh, Lieutenant General Salahuddin Tirmzi (retd), Dr Jehanzeb Jamaldini, Liaqat Taraqai, Yousaf Badini, Dr Ashok Kumar, Ahmed Khan, Gianchand, Secretary Communications, Chairman NHA, and officials from the ministry and NHA.