January 27, 2008	Sunday	Muharram 17, 1429

ISLAMABAD, Jan 26: Senate Functional Committee on Government Assurances on Saturday considered the assurances given by the federal ministers on the floor of the house relating to ministries of communications, water and power, health, women development, religious affairs and industries, production and special initiatives.

It underlined the need for timely implementation of the assurances.

It was pointed out that non-implementation of assurances given by the government was tantamount to breach of the house.

The committee, which met under the chairmanship of Senator Chaudhry Mohammad Anwar Bhinder while considering the assurance given by the then minister for communications regarding completion of Dargai-Charsadda and Timergara-Akargram section in response to a question asked by Senator Sahibzada Khalid Jan, the committee was informed that N-45 originated from Nowshera and culminated at Chitral and that its possession was transferred to the National Highway Authority (NHA) because the Frontier Highway Authority could not manage it.

The NHA, the committee was told is trying its level best to overcome the challenges and the entire project is likely to be completed by June 30, 2008.

To ensure timely completion of the project, the committee decided to authorise the subcommittee, constituted earlier, to review the progress of the project in March and June this year and submit the report to the committee.

Regarding the assurance to review the suitability of the Toll Plaza on D.I. Khan-Zhob Road and completion of the bridges on the road, it was informed that the road up to Mughal Kot had already been completed and that work on the remaining project was going on.

It was further told that Rs13 million were collected from the said toll plaza during July 2006 to December 2007 which reflected that the NHA had been able to develop toll culture in the country.

While considering the assurance regarding steps taken by the government to save the future of students studying in illegal medical colleges, the committee was told that students studying in such medical colleges took up the case with the apex court and the court, taking a lenient view, directed that these students should be accommodated in the regular medical colleges.

The committee members appreciated the court’s decision and irected the PMDC not to compromise on the standard of education.

It directed the ministry to come out with a proper legislation in this regard.

Regarding the completion of Women and Chest Diseases Hospital, Rawalpindi, the committee directed the authorities to ensure completion of the project within the shortest possible time.

During consideration of the assurance regarding supply of electricity to 700 villages and construction of three grid stations in Balochistan under Kuwait Fund, the committee was informed that the identification of villages by Balochistan government had not been done so far.