NHA staff reluctant to serve in Balochistan'

Officials tells Senate panel 52% of NHA budget allocated for restive province

QUETTA:

The Senate Functional Committee on Less Developed Areas was told on Monday that a number of National Highway Authority (NHA) employees serving in Balochistan had sought transfer to the federal capital due to the law and order crisis in the province.

The committee met under the chairmanship of Senator Niaz Ahmed.

During the meeting, NHA officials disclosed that employees posted in Balochistan had increasingly requested transfers to Islamabad. The committee was informed that even employees holding Balochistan domiciles were seeking transfers out of the province.

Senator Jan Muhammad proposed that all NHA employees should be barred from travelling by air, while Senator Kumar remarked that even employees holding Balochistan domiciles were reluctant to serve in their own province.

NHA officials informed the committee that employees serving in Balochistan and Gilgit-Baltistan receive an additional risk allowance equal to 25% of their basic salary.

The committee was also told that some employees holding Balochistan domiciles were receiving the additional risk allowance despite not serving in the province, prompting concern among members.

During a briefing on the current fiscal year's development budget, NHA officials informed the committee that 52% of the authority's development allocation had been earmarked for Balochistan, while 22% had been allocated for Sindh.

The officials said no new schemes were being introduced in Balochistan during the current financial year, as priority was given to projects nearing completion. They added that there were no new projects in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa either, with the focus remaining on completing ongoing schemes.

Senator Kumar questioned whether the ongoing projects in K-P would be completed during the current year under the existing allocation.

Planning Commission officials explained that the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) was prepared on the basis of projects rather than provincial allocations.

Senator Talha Mahmood observed that projects in more developed regions were completed more quickly than those in less developed areas. The committee was also briefed on the NHA's working strength and sanctioned posts.

NHA officials informed members that 2,750 employees were currently serving in the authority, exceeding its sanctioned strength. They added that the authority was currently undergoing a restructuring process.

The committee sought a detailed report on the increase in project costs resulting from implementation delays. Chairman Senator Niaz Ahmed observed that political factors were also a major reason behind delays and cost escalations in development projects.