ISLAMABAD, Nov 19: Federal Minister for Communication Dr Arbab Alamgir Khan has directed the National Highway Authority to complete all delayed projects on a priority basis.He issued these directives at a briefing at the ministry of communication, says a press release. Secretary communication Sharif Ahmad briefed the minister about the organisation’s structure, performance, targets and different construction projects. Minister of State for Communication Chaudhry Imtiaz Safdar Warraich was also present.

The federal minister said construction technology institutes would be established in Hyderabad, Quetta, Swabi, Garri Doppatta (AJK) and Bahawalpur as early as possible, so that maximum number of skilled people could be produced. He also promised that the motorway police would be equipped with modern instruments. The minister expressed these views after learning that some construction projects have been delayed due to unavailability of required funds.

He praised the performance of NHA and the motorway police, saying these departments would also be provided with better facilities. He said the government wanted to provide maximum technical jobs to the poor people.

Briefing the minister, the secretary said NHA was responsible to construct and maintain almost all long roads. The National Highways and Motorway Police are responsible to regulate traffic and control accidents on these roads. He said NHA is maintaining four per cent of the entire road network. About 80 per cent commercial vehicles are plying on one road - N-5 – which is the major artery of the entire road network.About the ongoing projects, Mr Sharif said there were 60 under-construction schemes of the NHA.

Most of them are in Balochistan, 19 are in NWFP, 11 in Punjab, five in Sindh and two in the AJK/NA. He said all delays in the construction work were due to delay in release of funds and law and order situation. The official said 4343 km roads were under planning stage which would be constructed in the next 12 years at a cost of Rs407 billion. The widening of 350km Karakorum Highway (KKH) is being carried out with the help of China.

The IG of the motorway police said 37,000 children were immunised and another doze of polio drops would be administered to the children next week at all toll plazas.

The minister also instructed the officials that transparency must be observed in giving all the contracts including toll plazas on merit. He also directed them to complete on priority basis the projects of Lowari Rail Tunnel, M-4 Faisalabad-Khanewal Motorway, Peshawar-Torkhum Expressway and Peshawar Northern Bypass. Chairman NHA Chaudhry Altaf Ahmed was also present in the briefing.