Senate panel directs start of motorway project this fiscal

Members express concern over lack of planning for 'Uraan Pakistan' programme

ISLAMABAD:

The Senate Standing Committee on Planning directed the authorities concerned to start the construction of the Hyderabad-Sukkur Motorway in the current fiscal year, noting that building big roads was the responsibility of the federal government.

The committee which met here with its Chairperson Quratul Ain Marri in the chair, expressed its dissatisfaction with lack of planning for the flagship 'Uraan Pakistan' programme as the ministry officials failed to reply questions from the members.

During the meeting, Planning Ministry officials briefed the participants about the Uraan Pakistan programme. They said that the country's exports would rise to $40 billion in the current fiscal year, while the government targeted to increase them to$60 billion in the next five years.

Committee member Shahadat Awan raised the issue of water problem in the country and asked the ministry about any plan to mitigate this issue. He also enquired whether the provinces had been taken into confidence on the issue of construction of six new canals from the Indus river.

However, the ministry officials could not satisfy the committee on Uraan Pakistan. The chair observed that the Uraan Pakistan programme or its "vision is good, but what will be the implementation procedure?"

Another committee member, Zeeshan Khanzada said that the ministry did not have the details regarding the implementation of the programme. He complained that the relevant authorities, including the planning minister, were also not available in the meeting to provide answers.

At the outset of the meeting, the chair expressed her displeasure at the absence of the minister. Marri told the committee that the meeting was delayed until February 19 at the request of the office of the minister, yet his did not attend.