Road infrastructure: Pakistan obtained 35 billion yen from Jica and $1.62 billion from ADB, WB: NA told

Pakistan has obtained loans to the tune of 35 billion yen and $1.62 billion from Japan International Cooperation Agency, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and World Bank, and has utilized 1.37 billion yen and $365.1 million so far during the last three years for improvement of road infrastructure. According to a written reply submitted to the National Assembly on Monday, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government obtained 35 billion yen loan from Japan International Cooperation Agency, $1.12 billion from Asian Development Bank and $495 million World Bank.
The PML-N government attained loan of $117.6 million for construction of Burhan to Sara-e-Sehla Road in last three years and utilized $31.8 million, out of $82.4 million grant, $72.4 million were utilized for the same road, out of $122.6 million loan, $28.984 million were utilized for Balochistan road network, out of $178 million loan, $48.97 million were utilized for Gojra to Shorkot Road and out of $92 million grant, $10.21 million were utilized for the same road.
The government also obtained $87.8 million loan and utilized $21.4 million for construction the road from Sara-e-Sihla to Simlala, out of $39.2 million grant, $30.214 million were utilized for the same road, out of $100 million loan for Shorkot to Khanewal road, $17.7 million were utilized, out of $100 million loan for the same road, $16.866 million were utilized, and out of $204.37 million loan for Flood Emergency Rehabilitation Project, $86.91 million were utilized.
The government obtained 19.46 billion yens loan for Shewan-Ratodero Project but the amount has not been utilized so far, while out of 15.49 billion yens loan for Rakhi Gaj Bewata Project East West Project, $1.37 billion have been utilized so far.
The government obtained five loans of $495 million from World Bank but the amount has not been utilized so far.
In another written reply, Federal Minister for Communication Hafiz Abdul Kareem told the National Assembly about the present status of the under-construction motorway from Gojra to Shorkot and Shorkot to Khanewal. He said that Gojra-Shorkot (section-2) is under construction in two parts (contracts); (i) Package-2A [Gojra-Jamani (Toba Tek Singh, 31 km)] and 65 percent work has been completed while the completion date for this package is 25 May 2018; (ii) Package-2B (Jamani-Shorkot-30km) and 55 percent work has been completed while said that the completion date of this package is 25 June 2018.
He said that Shorkot-Khanewal Section-3 is under construction in two parts (contracts); (i) Package-3A (Shorkot-Dinpur-31km) and 45 percent work has been completed while completion date for this package is 14th August 2018 and; (ii) Package-3B (Dinpur-Khanewal, 34 km) and 38 percent work has been completed while the completion date of this package is 14th August 2018.
In another reply, Minister for Defense Engr Khurram Dastgir Khan told the House that a total of 1671 Pakistani Armed Forces personnel are deployed in Saudi Arabia under agreement/ MoU. Added said that 629 Pakistani troops are deployed in Qatar, 63 in Oman and 66 in the UAE.
Minister for Law and Justice Chaudhry Mahmood Bashir Virk also informed the House that a total of 659 cases of corruption are pending in National Accountability Bureau (NAB). He said that 282 cases out of 659 are under investigation.
The minister said that keeping in view the confidentiality and sensitivity involved in the cases of corruption, the names of accused being public office holders cannot be made public. Meanwhile, at the start of the session, Dr Shireen Mazari pointed out quorum and the Speaker National Assembly suspended the House due to lack of quorum. After 30 minutes, the session met again but the deputy speaker has to adjourn the House till Tuesday (today) due to incomplete quorum.