A parliamentary panel while expressing serious concerns over government's failure for filling 171 posts under Aghaz-e-Huqooq-e-Balochistan Package has directed Postal Services Department to present a detailed report on the subject within 15 days.
The Senate Standing Committee on Communications met here on Friday with Senator Muhammad Daud Khan in the chair, which expressed serious concerns over no progress on the subject and directed the Postal Services Department to issue fresh advertisement in national newspapers for the approved positions. Among other, the meeting was attended by Senator Sajid Hussain Turi, Senator Muhammad Usman Khan Kakar, Senator Kamil Ali Agha, Senator Kalsoom Perveen, Senator Rozi Khan Kakar and former Senator Zahid Khan.
The committee also directed the relevant quarters to also consider those applicants who had earlier applied for the posts and all this process should be completed within 15 days. The committee further directed the Postal Department to make payments of APNS to ensure publication of advertisements related to Postal Department employments in Balochistan.
The meeting also decided to hold next meeting with the sole agenda of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and asked for segregated details of all routes of the corridor. The committee further directed the officials to give clear answer whether the Orange Line Train Project of Lahore is a part of the CPEC or not.
The committee members stated that Prime Minister of Pakistan has constituted a committee under the chairmanship of Chairman Board of Investment which also included four provincial chief secretaries to prepare a detail report on the western route of the CPEC, but so far no progress has been made on this account. Chairman of the Committee said that as far as the CPEC was concerned so far no progress was visible on western route; however, all focus was on eastern part of the project.
"Even the government is showing Asian Development Bank's 2004 approved funds and Public Sector Development Programme as a part of CEPC. The government so far has not acquired land for the western route while Rs 40 billions have been allocated for the purpose," he observed.
Senator Kamal Ali Agha of Pakistan Muslim League (PML-Q) said that in Lahore High Court public prosecutor accepted that Orange Line Train was a part of the CPEC, but later he was removed from the position by the government. The Takhat Bhai project was also discussed in the meeting where National Highway Authority (NHA) Chairman assured the committee members that it would be completed on July 15 and the issue of M-Tag and E-Tag would be resolved within a month. The Chairman also briefed the committee on Toll Plazas issue and stated that without the construction of roads how the NHA can create Toll Plazas on different roads.
Chairman of the Committee asked the NHA Chairman to stop work on all Toll Plazas which are working against set rules. He asked for closure of Toll Plaza on Quetta-Chaman road as the road itself hasn't been completed yet and a Toll Plaza has been constructed there. The committee also decided to visit the ongoing projects of NHA. The Chairman also directed the NHA Chairman to complete the Habibabad flyover on GT road near Patoki.