President orders inquiry against NHA officials

Residents complained that the road had been completed but they still had not been compensated

ISLAMABAD:

President Dr Arif Alvi on Thursday expressed displeasure over the non-payment of compensation for four years to 23 affectees of land acquisition in Surab, Balochistan.

The president upheld the orders of the Wafaqi Mohtasib (WM) directing the National Highway Authority (NHA) to conduct an enquiry against the officers, officials who were responsible for the delay and submit a compliance report within 30 days of the receipt of the order.

He directed that it was incumbent upon NHA to appear and explain its position in the implementation proceedings as to why the orders of the Mohtasib had not been complied with.

President Alvi gave this decision while deciding on a case where residents of Surab, Balochistan had approached WM and alleged that NHA had acquired their agricultural land through the deputy commissioner about four years ago for the construction of a road.

They had complained that the road had been completed but they still had not been paid the compensation amount for their lands.

They had requested NHA for compensation but to no avail, after which, they took up the matter with the Mohtasib, who gave the orders in their favour.

The NHA then filed a representation with the president against the orders of the Mohtasib.

He noted that NHA initiated the case for approval of ECNEC after a delay of four years and did not follow the Land Acquisition Act of 1894.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 3^rd, 2023.