ISLAMABAD: Senate Standing Committee on Communication has taken strong exception to excessive use of arable land for the construction of Swat Motorway and directed that only barren, uncultivable areas should be used for roads construction.

The committee noted that the trend of converting cultivable areas for other purposes is against the recommendations made by the Senate’s Functional Committee on Problems of less developed areas. These recommendations should be communicated to the chief minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, it was informed. Senator Mushtaq Ahmed Khan raised this issue at the meeting.

The committee discussed in details the ongoing and new road projects which have been prioritized for allocation of funds in the current fiscal year.

The committee was apprised that the projects near completion are at top priority. It was also apprised that the allocation of projects and its funds is according to the government’s policy.

Similarly, the committee took briefing on the steps being taken to speed up the completion of the Karachi -Chaman- Quetta Highway (N-25) project along with details of funds allocated and disbursed on this project since March 2021.

N-25 is the backbone of Balochistan and the main artery of NHA network in Pakistan as it connects Sindh with Balochistan and further to central Asian Countries.

Senator Kamil Ali Agha inquired about the completion period of Lowari Tunnel. The secretary communications replied that Lowari Tunnel project was started in 2001-02. Money bills of the last 15-20 years are being cleared, he said.

It was earlier a rail tunnel but later on it was converted into a road tunnel. How much money would have been saved if it had been completed earlier, Senator Agha regretted.

Senator Ghafoor Haideri mentioned about the prime minister package of 10 billion rupees for Balochistan, and inquired if NHA received that amount. The NHA officials informed that NHA has not received any money from the Balochistan package. It was also apprised that 32 bridges will be built across the country with Asian Development Bank loan, and two packages have been made for construction of 18 bridges in Balochistan.

Senators Shamim Afridi, Mohammad Akram, Manzoor Ahmed Kakar, Hafiz Abdul Karim, Umer Farooq, Ahmed Khan, and senior officials from the ministry of communications, NHA and other relevant departments attended the meeting.

Published in Dawn, May 18th, 2023