Senate panel questions NHMP

A parliamentary panel on Tuesday questioned the legal basis of an official motorway police handout that named senators in connection with a recent recovery operation, with lawmakers demanding an explanation for how the force linked recovered goods to specific members of the upper house.

The Senate Standing Committee on Communications meeting, chaired by Senator Pervaiz Rashid, also took notice of major National Highway Authority (NHA) development projects and raised concerns over project financing, delays and payments to contractors.

During the meeting, the National Highways and Motorway Police (NHMP) IG assured lawmakers that an inquiry into a recent motorway-related incident was under way and that its findings would be presented to the committee upon completion.

Senator Saifullah Abro strongly objected to the motorway police handout and questioned the basis on which the names of senators had been included in the official statement.

He further questioned how the motorway police had concluded that the recovered goods belonged to specific senators. "No individual's personal actions can be attributed to the Senate or to this committee."

Abro also challenged the legal status of the handout, maintaining that the Senate committee had never exerted unnecessary pressure on any institution.

He said the Senate subcommittee had taken up issues relating to cigarette smuggling and tax evasion strictly in accordance with the law.

"If an institution has released names, it must provide a complete explanation," he said.

While acknowledging that the motorway police received intelligence inputs, Abro maintained that no conclusions or speculation could be drawn about individuals without evidence.

Responding to the criticism, the NHMP IG said the institution's responsibility was to take action rather than comment on any individual or institution. "Our job is to take action, not to comment on any personality or institution," the IG told the committee.

The committee also questioned the National Highway Authority over the pace of development projects and the allocation of funds.

Senator Abdul Qadir criticised the allocation of Rs3 billion for development schemes, asking whether the projects would actually be completed or whether the funding would merely benefit contractors.

"What do you intend to achieve by allocating Rs3 billion? Will the projects be completed, or will only the contractors benefit?" he asked.

He also disclosed that contractors working on older projects had received only 50% of their payments and suggested that officials from the Planning Commission also be summoned to a future committee meeting.