Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani was briefed by the Secretary Communication and Chairman, NHA on the mega projects completed in Punjab, Sindh, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KPK), Balochistan and Gilgit-Baltistan/AJK, which have immense importance from the connectivity point of view and generating economic activities in the country, besides bringing the people of far flung areas closer to the people living in other parts of the country.
The Prime Minister was apprised that 12 projects with the cost of Rs 19.6 billion have been completed so far. Some of the projects completed are Head Muhammadwala Bridge, Chach Interchange on Motorway, and Double Phattak Flyover, Multan. The Prime Minister directed the NHA to focus on the completion of the projects which have already been completed to the extent of 70% instead of initiating new projects. "Completion of the ongoing projects is the development strategy of the democratic government", the Prime Minister said. The Prime Minister directed NHA to maintain equitable distribution of development funds among the provinces.
In the meeting, the priorities of the NHA projects were re-emphasised in case of Sukkur-Shikarpur-Jacobabad Road, Khuzadar-Ratodero Road, Amri-Qazi Ahmad Bridge, Lyari Expressway Karachi, Zhob-Moghulkot and Lower Topa-Kohala-Muzaffarabad Expressway. The NHA Chairman said that the work on Khanewal-Multan section and Gojra-Faisalabad section of Motorway has already been started and for Gojra-Shorkot section land acquisition has been completed. He also underscored the importance of Benazir Shaheed Bridge (Nishtar Ghat) which would connect the three provinces Balochistan, Sindh and Punjab.
The Chairman, NHA thanked the Prime Minister for special allocation to resume the work at Lowari Tunnel which would start soon after the improvement of weather in the region. The completion of Larkana-Khairpur Bridge had significantly reduced the distance besides smooth flow of all type of traffic, the Chairman said. The Chairman added that Sehwan-Ratodero, JICA funded project, was very important and the major problem of land acquisition has been resolved.
The Chairman while briefing on NHA projects in Khyber Pukhtoonkhwa said that Thakot Bridge, Takhtbai-Dargai-Chakdara, Nowshera-Chakdara-Dir-Chitral, CRBC crossing Sara-e-Gamila, D.I.Khan-Zem Tomer are complete, while other projects like D.I.Khan-Sara-e-Gamila, Earthquake damaged roads, Jhalkhad-Babusar Top Chilas, Alipur-Besham, Peshawar Northern Bypass and Khushhaalgarh Bridge are at various stages of completion.
About Balochistan, the Chairman said that Nuttal-Sibi-Dhaddar, Khamozai-Muslim Bagh, Jacobabad and Dera Allayar, Lyari-Gwadar-Gabd, Kararo-Wadh and Hub-Uthal completed while other important projects like Khuzdar-Ratodero, Gwadar-Turbat-Hoshab-Basima-Surab being executed. In Gilgit-Baltistan and the Azad Jammu and Kashmir, the Chairman said that Muzaffarabad-Chakothi is 88% complete, Railkot-Khunjrab 70% complete, West Bank Bypass, Muzaffarabad including Naluchi Bridge 36% complete and 5 bridges in Gilgit-Baltistan and Skardu is at the initiated stages of construction.
The meeting was attended by Dr Abdul Hafeez Sheikh, Minister for Finance, Dr Nadeem-ul-Haq, Deputy Chairman, Planning Commission, Dr Waqar Masood Khan, Secretary Economic Affairs, Abdul Wajid Rana, Secretary Finance, Khawaja Siddique Akbar, Secretary Interior, Anwar Ahmad Khan, Secretary Communication, Asif Bajwa, Secretary Planning and Development Division, Syed Muhammad Alil Gardezi, Chairman NHA and other senior government officials.