Islamabad: The Senate Standing Committee on Economic Affairs, led by Senator Saifullah Abro, convened a meeting to analyze the status of various communications projects, including those under the National Highways Motorways and Road Infrastructure. The meeting focused on completed and ongoing projects funded by international bodies and the financial implications of these ventures.
According to a statement by Senate of Pakistan, officials disclosed that 33 projects have been completed as of July 2024, with funding from entities such as the Asian Development Bank, World Bank, and various national funds. These projects have a total commitment of $10 billion, while an additional 10 projects are currently in progress with commitments amounting to $1,547.03 million.
Senator Abro expressed concerns over delays in projects funded by Korea, attributing them to design changes and consultant hiring issues. He emphasized that such delays incur significant costs due to interest accumulated from the signing of agreements. The committee urged the National Highway Authority (NHA) and the Economic Affairs Division (EAD) to investigate and provide detailed rate comparisons between Korean and local contractors.
Senator Kamran Murtaza highlighted constitutional concerns regarding the exclusion of local contractors in Korean-funded projects. He called for transparency in the bidding process and requested comprehensive details on Balochistan’s communications projects.
The committee also addressed the planned increase in motorway toll rates, clarifying that the rates have remained unchanged since 2018. The NHA intends to implement a 100% increase gradually on a quarterly basis, citing maintenance funding requirements as the rationale.
In addition to communications projects, the committee reviewed completed projects by Sindh’s Agriculture, Works, Services, and School Education Departments, funded by international partners. With a total commitment of $2,228.16 million, the committee sought further details on the tendering processes and recommended the attendance of relevant project directors at future meetings.
The committee also discussed complaints related to the tendering process of the Dasu-Islamabad Transmission Line Project and recommended detailed reporting on actions taken against implicated officials.
Attendees included Senators Haji Hidayatullah Khan, Kamran Murtaza, Rahat Jamali, and senior officials from various departments, emphasizing the committee’s focus on transparency and accountability in economic affairs.