The credibility of the National Highway Authority (NHA) has been badly damaged before international financial institution (IFIs) because of some internal issues, Secretary Communications Anwar Ahmed Khan admitted on Tuesday. He did not elaborate.
Responding to questions at a meeting of the Senate's Sub-committee on Finance here, he said that these issues had recently been pointed out by IFIs. The Secretary also said that the NHA needed patronage at the highest level, especially the Prime Minister, because it was involved in critical infrastructure projects of critical importance for the national economy. He said that after the Ministry of Water and Power, NHA was getting the largest share in the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) allocationa. The committee recommended that the Prime Minister should be made chairperson of the NHA Council.
Chairman of the Committee Sardar Fateh Muhamad Hasni said that the committee wanted accountability of people responsible for damaging NHA's credibility to avoid recurrence of such mistakes. Meanwhile, Director of Balochistan Development Authority informed the committee that the problem of water supply was becoming acute in Gwadar. He said that the installation of Water Desalination Plants at Gwadar Industrial Estate was being delayed.
He cited a dispute between two partners over supply of plant and machinery from the US as the major reason for the delay. The delay in receipt of required/ sufficient funds in time from the federal government and frequent changes in Balochistan Development Authority are also among factors causing delay.
He claimed that plant building and allied civil works had been completed and the technical team of M/s Pure Pak Karachi contractor for Intake and Brine Disposal System is already working at site as per work plan. Furthermore, the present management is monitoring the physical progress of the project, he concluded.
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