Usurping development funds: Roads for Quetta being built in Multan, claim senators

Paucity of funds, volatile law and order situation cited as main reasons for slow progress on projects.

QUETTA:

Funds allocated for Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) have been diverted for construction of highways in Multan and Ratodero, claimed indignant senators from Balochistan at a meeting on Friday.

Senators from the province expressed strong resentment over delay in completion of under-construction projects, due to paucity of funds, at a meeting of the Senate standing committee on communications.

“Funds allocated for Balochistan and KP had been diverted … on the verbal directives of the prime minister,” said Senator Humayun Khan Mandokhail.

“While people of Multan and Ratodero are our brother, they have no right to usurp funds allocated for Balochistan,” said Senator Ismail Buleidai, seconding Mandokhail.

“The federal government should take practical steps to bring Balochistan at par with other developed provinces rather than merely announcing projects,” Buleidai added. “We will not beg for our legitimate rights.”

Federal minister for communication Dr Arbab Alamgir, however, ruled out any diversion of funds, saying such a move is not possible.

The government has allocated Rs32 billion during the current fiscal year of which Rs9 billion will be spent in Balochistan, he said, adding it would be sufficient to complete the ongoing projects in the province.

The Kalat-Quetta-Chaman highway is an economic artery of the province but the people are suffering due to the government’s negligence, said Senator Rahim Mandokhail.

“This is an international highway and must be completed on a priority basis,” he added. In response, general manager National Highway Authority Balochistan Pervez Gull said a 58-kilometer-long section of the Kalat-Quetta-Chaman highway is under construction and will be completed by December.

He informed the Senators that projects were delayed due to shortage of funds.

Work halted

Construction work on projects in Turbat, Gwadar and Hoshap had been at a standstill for months due to the law and order situation, the senators were informed.

“There is a security problem. When projects were initiated, the total estimated cost was Rs5 billion; it has crossed over to Rs18 billion now,” said Mandokhail.

No new scheme had been announced for Balochistan in the current fiscal year, he added. Chief Secretary Balochistan Ahmed Bakhsh Lehri, however, gave an assurance that the government will provide comprehensive security to officials engaged in construction of highways in any part of the province.

“The Frontier Corps will be called in, if needed,” Lehri said.

According to independent sources, the federal government approved highway projects worth around Rs137 billion in recent years. Of this, merely Rs7 billion was spent on highways in Balochistan.

The Kalat to Lak Pass section of the RCD Highway has been under construction for six years, despite it being in the political constituency of the chief minister, they added.

The section is claimed to be completed by December, sources said.





Published in The Express Tribune, September 10^th, 2011.