Chairman, National Highway Authority (NHA), Hamid Ali on Friday informed Senate's Standing Committee on Communications and Postal Services that the US Senate had passed a bill to provide $45 million for reconstruction of Quetta-Chaman Road, used by vehicles transporting goods to Nato forces stationed in Afghanistan.
"USAID had earlier committed to provide $30 million for the road reconstruction, however now it has passed a bill from the US senate under which $45 million would be provided for the 57 km road," said NHA chairman while briefing the committee, which met here with Daud Khan Achakzai in the chair.
"The Economic Affairs Division (EAD) and USAID are expected to sign an MoU within two weeks in this regard," Ali said adding works will include flyover at Kuchlac, bypass for Chaman and dualization of last 1.5 km up to Afghan border. The committee took serious notice of purchase of a vehicle at the cost of Rs 20 million for Secretary Communication from the fund allocated for a road project in Multan.
Senator Zahid Khan said that NHA had no money for roads reconstruction and maintenance; however an expensive vehicle for Secretary's visits was purchased from the project fund. The Ministry informed that the vehicle was purchased after June 2011 for sole purpose of projects' inspections, when there was no ban on purchase of vehicles. Senators recommended sending the case to Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) for further probe.
The committee had earlier recommended that Rs 15 million be recovered from the contractor and blacklist it for excess payment on Taxila under-pass project. Moreover, action may also be taken against officials of NHA in the case of overpayment. However the Communication Ministry failed to take any action against the contractor, besides NHA posted the officials, against whom the committee directed inquiry as GM Peshawar. The committee took serious notice of the case and directed the Ministry to report within 10 days. Secretary Communications Mohammad Arshad Bhatti assured the committee that the case would be revisited and the committee would be informed as directed.
The committee also took serious notice of the out of turn promotions in NHA. Zahid Khan pointed out that the then minister had approved the promotion of genuine officers; however the decision was not implemented. Officers on deputation were posted in the Authority while the genuine officers were made to wait for promotion, he maintained.
Secretary communication informed the committee that the officers posted on lucrative assignments on political considerations were replaced by neutral officers purely on merit. In this regard, a reference dated March 03, 2013 addressed to Secretary Election Commission of Pakistan was also made. No postings/transfers orders were issued during the ban period, said Secretary, adding that advice of the Ministry of Law and Justice would be sought in the promotion case and then Committee would be informed as directed.
The committee expressed serious reservations over illegal possession of NHA toll plazas by the Frontier Works Organisation (FWO) and National Logistic Cell (NLC). The committee recommended that toll plazas, occupied by FWO and NLC since long should be re-entered and may be awarded to the highest bidder. The committee also issued directives to FWO and NLC officials to attend next meeting of the committee.