June 20, 2003	Friday	Rabi-us-Sani 19, 1424

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ISLAMABAD, June 19: Pakistan has blacklisted the Turkish company Bayinder which was given contract for the construction of Islamabad-Peshawar motorway.

Communication Minister Ahmad Ali, who distributed cheques of Rs2.7 million among the local contractors who had been hired by the Turkish company but were not paid, said it was the first case of its kind that the government was paying liabilities to contractors affected by the default of a foreign firm.

An official announcement by the National Highway Authority quoted the minister as having said that construction activities on the Islamabad-Peshawar Motorway had been re-started, and that the road would be built as per international standard, like that of Lahore-Islamabad motorway.

Chairman National Highway Authority Major General Farrukh Javed and senior officers of the ministry of communication and the NHA were also present.

The minister said the government was fully aware of the problems faced by the affected contractors, and every possible assistance would be provided to them.

“We are political figures and have close association with the masses, that is why we particularly have come here to distribute the cheques,” he said.

He said unskilled local people of Attock would be provided jobs during the course of construction of M-1, so that they could play their role in the development project.

He said Pakistani engineers had already served on this project, so they were able to continue working independently. He said all matters relating to the tendering and award of contract of M-1 had been made transparently. Steps would be taken to cover up the delay in the completion of the project.