KARACHI, Aug 1: Sindh Governor Ishratul Ibad Khan inaugurating the double track “Sussi Bridge” on National Highway on Monday said that roads had direct linkage to economic progress of any country. The governor appreciated the National Highway Authority and said it had built up a good credibility for itself by carrying out quality work and completing the same ahead of schedule. “It has not compromised on quality and its work is acknowledged in the whole of Pakistan”, he said.

Dr Ibad said that NHA’s impressive performance was a step towards government’s commitment for good governance for which Federal Communication Minister Shamim Siddiqi and NHA Chairman Farrukh Javed, along with their entire team, deserved felicitation and compliments. He said the government was seriously working for strengthening its various organizations.

Referring to the upcoming local body elections, he said that all preparations had been finalized for holding free, fair and transparent polls. He pointed out that Election Commission was an independent institution and the government had invited foreign observers to monitor the elections.

He said the past hustle and bustle of Karachi was back again and there was no reason for any worsening of conditions. He said that worsened conditions only benefited the opposition.

Ishratul Ibad said that the government was performing its responsibilities honestly and it was for the opposition to extend helping hand to government in maintaining peace. He said if his government had pursued policies of past governments, it could have dissolved the local body institutions, removed the nazims or suspended them two years back when it came into power. It could have done everything, but took no such step.

He said that as a result of government’s good policies, economic activities had geared up and the measures taken by President Musharraf and Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz had pushed the GDP up to 8.4 per cent with an increase in industrial growth rate and the country was now marching forward on the path of prosperity.

Earlier, NHA Chairman Maj-Gen Farrukh Javed briefed the governor on the bridge project which was inaugurated with formal unveiling of plaque by the governor.

The NHA’s chairman said that it was a 13km double track road completed five months ahead of schedule. He said that the plan was afoot for the future to convert the entire National Highway into double track and later convert it into a six-lane motorway. He said that the project was started in May 2004 and completed at a cost of Rs328 million.

Referring to Northern Bypass, he said that 43km of 57km-long bypass had been opened and remaining 14km would be completed by Sept 15. However, he said, completion of Lyari Expressway had somewhat delayed.

He said that Grand Trunk Road would be available for use in the next three years and the government had allocated Rs20 billion in the budget for this purpose.

Federal Communication Minister Shamim Siddiqi charged the city government of doing nothing and said it failed to provide in time the right of way for Lyari Expressway Project, which otherwise, the NHA would have completed by December 2004.

The minister referred to the significance of National Highway from Karachi to Thatta and Thatta to Hyderabad and said this road was used for transportation of fresh fruits and vegetables while sugar mills were also located on this portion of the highway.—APP