April 17, 2002	Wednesday	Safar 3, 142

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ISLAMABAD, April 16: An amount of Rs7 billion advanced to a Turkish firm in foreign exchange for the construction of the Islamabad-Peshawar Motorway by the PML(N) government remains a mystery to this day, a government spokesperson said here on Tuesday.

In a press statement the spokesman said the Turkish firm used the huge advance to complete its projects in other countries while it continued to delay construction of the Peshawar Motorway.

Terming the allegations levelled by the PML(N) spokesperson relating to projects in the communication sector too absurd to deserve a comment, the government spokesperson said what had been released to the media by the PML(N) information secretary was nothing more than a sheet of lies and distortions which one would not like to lend dignity through an unmerited response.

However, for the sake of setting the record straight, the spokesperson said it goes to the credit of the present administration of the National Highway Authority to have terminated the contract that was causing colossal loss to the Pakistani exchequer.

The government is pursuing refund of advance which remains stuck with the foreign firm as a consequence of the undue favour extended by the PML(N) government, the spokesperson added.