• Officials say authority spends Rs15bn on Balochistan highways, earns just Rs200m
• Insist nationwide revenue of NHA stands at Rs130bn

QUETTA: The National Highway Authority (NHA) is facing a huge gap between maintenance costs and revenue generation in Balochistan, as it spends up to Rs15 billion annually on highways in the province but earns only about Rs200 million, officials said on Saturday.

Speaking at a session with members of the Quetta Balochistan Chamber of Commerce and Industry, NHA General Manager Agha Inayatullah and Director Maintenance Raheel Ahmed Baloch said the authority manages more than 4,000 kilometres of national highways in the province.

They noted that while the NHA generates around Rs130bn in revenue annually across the country, Balochistan’s contribution remains minimal. They added that cooperation from chambers of commerce and the business community is needed to increase revenue and improve highway conditions in the province.

Earlier, Senior Vice President of the chamber Haji Akhtar Kakar, along with members Salahuddin Khilji, Haji Abdullah Achakzai and others, welcomed NHA’s ongoing projects in Balochistan but expressed concern over the dismantling of highways that are already in good condition.

They said Balochistan’s ground realities differ from those of other provinces and cautioned against placing additional burden on the public and business community. They also referred to a recent vehicle accident on the under-construction section of the Quetta-Chaman highway and demanded early completion of work near Baleli.

Concerns were also raised over delays in the Kuchlak-to-Mastung bypass project.

NHA officials said that for the success of any project, the opinions and suggestions of local stakeholders must be prioritised. They clarified that the government does not provide funds for highway maintenance or employee salaries, and that the authority meets its expenses through its own revenue.

They noted that nearly 95 per cent of business activity in Balochistan depends on NHA roads, while revenue generated through no-objection certificates (NOCs) and toll plazas remains significantly lower than maintenance costs.

Officials said toll plazas have been activated in areas including Qila Saifullah, Rakhni, Dalbandin, Nokundi and the Coastal Highway, while efforts are underway to increase revenue through NOCs and Right of Way (ROW) charges.

They added that the NHA headquarters is focusing on increasing revenue in Balochistan and that discussions are under way regarding handing over the authority to the province on the pattern of other entities. They warned that such a move could affect the authority’s financial sustainability.

Regarding the accident-prone section of the Quetta-Chaman highway, officials said senior authorities have been contacted and work is expected to begin within a week.

Responding to queries, Mr Inayatullah said work has already started at headquarters on the PC-I for the Kuchlak-to-Mastung bypass project, with tendering and other processes under way.

He urged the chamber leadership to support the NHA in encouraging the business community to obtain NOCs for highway-related work.

At the end of the session, the Quetta Balochistan Chamber of Commerce and Industry presented a shield to the NHA officials.

Published in Dawn, April 19th, 2026