Islamabad: The National Assembly Standing Committee on Communications, chaired by MNA Aijaz Hussain Jakhrani, convened today in Parliament House, pressing for significant advancements in Pakistan’s infrastructure projects, notably the M-6 motorway. The session underscored the project’s economic importance and called for its prioritization in the upcoming Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) for 2024-25.

According to National Assembly of Pakistan, the Ministry of Communications declared the M-6 project a top priority but faced criticism from the Committee for the project’s insufficient funding within the PSDP. The allocation issue prompted a strong directive for key officials, including the Secretary of Planning and the Chief Secretary of Sindh, to attend the next meeting to provide detailed explanations on funding discrepancies and project timelines.

The Committee highlighted a stark contrast between the requested and allocated budgets for the M-6 project, noting only PKR 50 million was set aside against a requested PKR 82 billion, reflecting a disconnect in budgetary commitment. In response, the Ministry noted that while it had sought PKR 624 billion for various projects, only PKR 161 billion was approved, with just PKR 14 billion disbursed in the current fiscal quarter.

Discussion also touched on broader budgetary practices, with the Committee questioning the criteria for federal PSDP project selection. Both the Planning Commission and the Ministry of Communications were instructed to provide detailed reports on province-wise allocations and project execution strategies.

Additionally, concerns were raised about other major infrastructure efforts, including the Karachi northern bypass, which the Committee emphasized should be dualized to manage traffic better. Updates were also requested for the Gharro-KT Bandar Road and the historically significant New Baran Bridge, where delays have hindered progress.

The Committee also mandated an inquiry into substandard work on the Thatta-Kinjhar Road, which resulted in a 20 KM stretch being prone to accidents, urging legal action against the responsible contractor.

Today’s meeting was a crucial platform for addressing the complexities of national infrastructure projects, with legislative oversight pushing for more transparent and effective implementation practices.