ISLAMABAD: A meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Communications was convened by Senator Pervaiz Rashid, attended by several notable senators, to address key issues related to infrastructure, road safety, and development projects across the country.

According to Senate of Pakistan, the meeting, held at the Old PIPS Hall, Parliament Lodges, covered several agenda items, including starred questions on road projects in Chitral and Balochistan. These items, which included CPEC-related highways and the Karachi-Bela road, were deferred due to the absence of the movers. The committee also discussed an incident involving a couple’s video allegedly engaged in immoral activity on the motorway. The Inspector General of Motorway Police reported that the incident occurred on July 16, involving a car parked on the roadside. The officer involved has been suspended, and an inquiry is underway.

Senator Zameer Hussain Ghumro questioned the practice of initiating new road infrastructure projects before completing existing ones. The Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Communications stated that no new projects have been started this year. The committee learned that the 298 km Kuchlak-to-Zhob (N-50) project remains incomplete due to funding shortages. Senator Qadir raised concerns about budget distribution disparities, noting that out of Rs. 116 billion sanctioned for Balochistan, Rs. 100 billion was allocated for the N-25 highway.

To prevent project disruptions, the committee discussed recommendations for the National Highway Authority regarding the quarterly release of project funds and developing a bridge financial system to ensure timely fund disbursement to contractors. The Additional Secretary provided clarifications on the cash development loan, and the committee agreed to prioritize funding mechanisms on a dedicated agenda to guide future government policy. The briefing was conducted by the Inspector General of Motorway Police and senior officials from the Ministry of Communications and NHA.