Islamabad, January 05, 2023 (PPI-OT): A meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Communications was held at Parliament House, Islamabad. The meeting was chaired by Chairman Committee, Senator Prince Ahmed Omer Ahmedzai. Members who attended included Senator Abida Muhammad Azeem, Senator Kamil Ali Agha, Senator Manzoor Ahmed Kakar, Senator Shamim Afridi, Senator Molana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri and Senior Officers from the Ministry of Communication, Motorway Police and National Highway Authority (NHA).
The Committee was briefed regarding extension of jurisdiction of Motorway Police to District Ketch Balochistan; Public Petition regarding mega-corruption of PKR 4.09 billion in funds allocated for Hyderabad – Sukkur Motorway M6; Post flood rehabilitation work on National Highway n-65, N-25, M-8 and N-40.
The Committee, while discussing extension of jurisdiction of Motorway Police to District Ketch Balochistan, was informed that currently the620 Km of road network was being manned by National Highway and Motorway Police (NHMP), West Zone that comprised Uthal N-25; Kalat N-25; Gwadar N-10 and Killa Saifullah N-50.
Reviewing non-operational zones the Committee was informed of the M-8 Gwadar that passes through Kech District. It was asserted that the main cause of non-expansion was lack of funds and vehicles.
To operationalize M-8 measures required were hiring of rented buildings; manpower; MT Fleet; machinery and equipment; Arms and ammunition etc. The Committee after reviewing the matter minutely recommended that NHMP take certain measures expand its jurisdiction to city areas for security sakes.
Measures must be taken to facilitate travellers. It also stressed that work on N-25 and N-65 must be prioritized due to traffic congestion on these routes and that a letter will be written to the Ministry by the Committee in this regard.
Deliberating over Public Petition regarding mega-corruption of PKR 4.09 billion in funds allocated for Hyderabad – Sukkur Motorway M6 the Committee was informed that measures have been taken to recover the embezzled amount. The matter is currently being investigated by NAB and consequently deferred by the Committee.
While being briefed regarding post flood rehabilitation work on National Highway n-65, N-25, M-8 and N-40; the Committee was informed that a contract of consultancy services for detailed design and feasibility study for rehabilitation /up gradation and widening of Quetta-Dhadar Section of National Highway N-65 (118 Km is being awarded to M/S Nespak (Pvt) Ltd. Realignment of Pinjra Bridge that was washed away by the floods has also been undertaken by M/S Nespak (Pvt) Ltd and will be finalized at the earliest.
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