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Senate panel laments NHA non-compliance of submission of record

Islamabad: The Senate Standing Committee on Economic Affairs, led by Senator Saifullah Abro, convened today to discuss ongoing and completed projects of communications sector particular National Highways Motorways and Road Infrastructure under multilateral, bilateral and UN agencies along with the details of tendering process and interest paid by Federal Government on these projects.

The officials informed that a total of 33 projects have been completed as of July 2024, of which 15 projects were funded by Asian Development Bank,05 projects by World Bank,07 projects by China,01 project funded by Saudi Fund for Development,01 projects by USAID,03 projects by Japan,01 project was funded by Kuwait Fund.

Total commitments for these projects were US$ 9,996.20 million with disbursements of US$ 9,355.19 million. However, 10 projects are ongoing with a commitment of US$ 1,547.03 million, and from these 04 projects are each funded by Asian Development Bank and Korea and 01 project each by Saudi Fund for Development and World Bank.

The Committee lamented NHA officials for non-provision of required details regarding CAREC Corridor Development Investment Program-Tranche 1 & II projects. Despite being asked for several times, the authorities failed to provide the necessary details of ongoing projects, Chairman Committee said.

While discussing the ongoing projects, Senator Saifullah Abro remarked that the contracts of several projects could not be awarded for three years since the signing of loan agreement. He opined that such delays cost nation a fortune and EAD should devised an implementation mechanism to bring transparency in these projects. After the detailed discussions, the Committee recommended EAD and its concerned department (NHA) to provide details of numbers of bidders participated (qualified & disqualified) and submitted their bids of all lots under ongoing CAREC Corridor Development Investment Program-Tranche 1 project along the reasons of delay in its completion.

The Committee also recommended EAD and its concerned department (NHA) to provide bidding data sheet of all ongoing projects under Communications Sector to the Committee.

Regarding the implementation status on the recommendation of the Committee concerning of the commencement of work on Section-I (Chakdara – Timargara) N-45, the Committee was dissatisfied with the replies given by the NHA and recommended NHA to provide details later to the Committee.

On the implementation status of the recommendation regarding provision of a copy of Bank guarantee / bid security along with a copy of verification from Bank (Head Office) of the contractor for N-70 Qila Saifullah-Loralai-WaigumRud Road Section, the Committee recommended EAD to write letter to State Bank of Pakistan about the confirmation of the guarantee given by the Bank.

While discussing ongoing and completed projects by Irrigation, Planning and Development and Livestock and Fisheries Departments of Provincial Government of Sindh under multilateral, bilateral partners and UN agencies. The Committee took serious notice over non-provision of briefing material to the Committee. After the derailed deliberations, the Committee recommended the provincial departments, Govt. of Sindh to provide the details of all ongoing projects as per the agenda item of the meeting and deferred the agenda item to be further discussed in the next Committee meeting.

In attendance were Senators Kamran Murtaza, Falak Naz, Kamil Ali Agha, Haji Hidayatullah Khan, Rana Mahmood ul Hassan, Special Secretary Economic Affairs Division Humair Karim along with other senior officials of concerned Departments.

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