Khuzdar-Tordhero Road behind schedule
An alternative road network for connectivity between Punjab and G-B, through Azad Jammu and Kashmir, was discussed to reduce travel time and promote tourism. photo: file
The construction work has been pending on a two and half kilometer portion of Khuzdar-Tordhero Road in Balochistan province for the past two years due to non-availability of funds.
This was revealed during a meeting of the sub-committee of National Assembly’s standing committee held in Islamabad on Tuesday. The entire 56-km project has been lagging behind schedule due to this small portion. The committee voiced its anger and concerns on the unnecessary delay.
The meeting of the sub-committee was chaired by convener Syed Ayaz Ali Shah Shirzai. The members of the committee made inquiries about the post offices in Sajawal district of Sindh on which director general Pakistan Post was unable to provide satisfactory answers to the committee. The committee members showed their strong dissatisfaction over his lack of knowledge. Member of the committee Ramesh Lal remarked that the officials of the Pakistan Post do not go out of their offices and into the field and as a result they don’t know about the area properly.
DG Pakistan Post informed the panel that he had instructed all the officers in Sindh to solve the problems faced by the general public.
The convener on this remarked that DG Pakistan Post had failed to satisfy the committee despite the fact that only one area of his responsibility was on agenda.
He said that the meeting had not been called to claim transport or daily allowances by the members or to meet DG Pakistan Post and the DG should have done his homework properly before coming to the meeting.
The DG claimed that post offices in Sajawal were all in losses and there was no commercial activity in the area.
Ramesh Lal said that the post office staff is not willing to talk to people properly that is why general public was not interested in going to post offices.
The convener said that land grabbers were also taking lands of the post offices in the district which is worrying.
The committee directed the DG Post to brief them in depth in the next meeting about Sajawal, Thatha, Shahdadkot and Larkana post offices.
The National Highway Authority (NAH) officers briefed the committee about the state of roads in Balochistan. Ramesh Lal remarked that the Khuzdar-Tordero Road should have been completed two years ago but it is still under construction. The committee recommended to the Planning Division to release funds for the construction of the 2.5 kilometer road.
The committee also sought details of Sehwan-Pataro Road in the next meeting.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 22nd, 2021.