Frontier Works Organisation (FWO) will continue occupation of 31 toll plazas on motorways following the demand of government to pay $5000 as tariff per Nato/Isaf truck. Cash starved Ministry of Communication has intensified its efforts to get vacated 31 toll plazas in various localities on motorway from FWO.
In a recent development, the FWO has convened to the Ministry of Communication that it is imperative for state security to continue their occupation. The officials of FWO has made it clear to Ministry of Communication that the FWO has received specific verbal instructions from high authorities not to vacate these toll plazas, Secretary Ministry of Communication Anwar Ahmed Khan revealed to the National Assembly's Public Account Committee (PAC) on Tuesday.
The FWO had informed the ministry that all these tolls are of strategic importance and will serve to monitor ground line of communications between Pakistan and Afghanistan. Secretary said that the FWO wants to keep this occupation beyond 2014, the year when Nato/Isaf will start withdrawal from Afghanistan and various points including Pakistan would be used for this purpose.
The FWO has been illegally occupying these toll plazas under the administrative control of National Highway Authority (NHA) on payment dispute. It not only has occupied the toll plazas, but intimidated those who wish to participate in re-tendering of these tolls. The FWO has to pay Rs 6.5 billion outstanding dues, which it has been generating through toll collection.
Secretary further disclosed that it was estimated that the Nato supply via Pakistan damaged Rs 100 billion worth of road net work. He further said that Gwadar-Ratodero Road project, which will connect Gwadar port with the upcountry, is also facing financial crunch and law and order situation for delay in its timely completion.
He said that Provincial Government of Balochistan has committed to release the required funds on the commitment that these funds would be spent on the project. The federal government has allocated rupee component out of public sector development programme (PSDP) directly to ministry but foreign component was directly paid to the contractor. This has also contributed to delay in project execution, he remarked. The committee called NHA and FWO to take detailed briefing on the disputes in first week of June.
Inspector General of Motorway Police, Wajid Ali Khan informed the committee that NHA did not pay Rs 3.8 billion amount due for the last four years. He further said that motorway police generate revenue of Rs 0.9 million daily through challans of vehicles. To ensure the safety of passengers on motorways is not the responsibility of motorway police under the regulations which need to be amended, he said.
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