ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Wednesday said he had given mandate to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to probe the exorbitant cost incurred on the road construction projects undertaken by the previous Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz government.

Investigation would reveal how a corrupt government looted the public exchequer by carrying out projects at a much higher cost, said the prime minister while speaking at a ceremony held here at PM House to inaugurate 80-kilometre Jhal Jhao-Bela Road upgrade project of Balochistan.

Mr Khan said in every four-lane road construction project, the PML-N had ‘extorted Rs200 million per kilometre’ and its information was available on websites.

80km Jhal Jhao-Bela Road upgrade project inaugurated

Terming corruption the biggest problem in the country, where a handful of people in power had misused public money, the prime minster said the plundered money could have been used for more communication projects, particularly in Balochistan. He said road connectivity in Balochistan was equally essential for country’s socio-economic prosperity, highlighting the need for an equitable national development.

The prime minister said the goal of country’s overall development could not be achieved unless Balochistan was made a stakeholder. He said he was committed to ensuring uplift of all areas of Balochistan that had faced neglect in the past.

Mr Khan blamed the previous governments and area politicians for ignoring the overall development of Balochistan and focusing merely on their own constituencies to gain electoral support.

The prime minister said he wanted his government scorecard to have an outstanding highlight —an unprecedented phase of development in Balochistan to end its deprivation— on the completion of the five-year tenure.

Chief Minister Jam Kamal Khan said the Centre and the coalition government in Balochistan had accomplished numerous development projects in three years with an aim to benefit local population.

Shortest trade link

The chief minister mentioned that Panjgur to Awaran and Jhal Jhao to Bela highway would prove as the shortest trade link from the Iranian border to Karachi.

He said the main artery of Chaman-Quetta-Khuzdar would be a milestone of socio-economic development in future.

Federal Minister for Communication Murad Saeed said the focus on Balochistan’s development was in line with PM Khan’s vision of uplifting the underprivileged sections of Pakistan.

He said work on Balochistan highways connecting the province with rest of the country was in full swing.

National Highway Authority (NHA) Chairman retired captain Khurram Agha said the 80-km Jhal Jhao-Bela Road would be linked with Awaran and the National Highway (N-25) at a cost of Rs11.835 billion (PC-1) while its contract cost was Rs7.208bn.

With an allocation of Rs1.5bn, this Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP 2021-22) project would be completed in three years, he said. The two-lane road will have 182 culverts with an expected travel of 2,645 vehicles on a daily basis, according to him.

Surrounded by high mountains and deserts, Jhal Jhao is located in the southern part of Balochistan. The only means of transportation in the area is the Jhal Jhao-Bela Road.

The highways in Balochistan are of significance in view of the regional trade from Pakistan to Iran, Afghanistan and Central Asian states. The total length of national highways in Balochistan is 4,128 km, which comprises around 30.42 per cent of NHA’s road network.

The NHA is working at a fast pace on the western route of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). At the same time, the uplift of adjoining roads in Balochistan will ensure development of the province by connecting with the national communication network.

Published in Dawn, September 30th, 2021

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