Taking stock: G-B chief secretary takes notice of incomplete projects

Action was taken after Younas Dhaga’s office was flooded with complaints.

GILGIT:

The Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B) government on Wednesday took notice of the delay in two major projects in Gilgit.

“Action was taken by G-B Chief Secretary Younas Dhaga after he was flooded with complaints,” an official said. The chief secretary has directed authorities to identify those responsible for the delay.

The latest complaints were lodged by the regional leadership of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), who pinpointed projects worth millions, including the construction of the RCC Bridge connecting Gilgit to the Karakoram International University via Zulfiqarabad and repairing the road heading from Public Chowk to Sakwar area were still pending.

“We want a fair investigation on these projects,” said a spokesperson for the PML-N in Gilgit. He also confirmed the party had filed the complaints because it did not trust the regional government.

Dhaga directed the chief minister’s inspection commission to investigate both projects and submit their findings within 10 days. He demanded the findings must identify those responsible for misappropriation and lack of seriousness.

The construction of the RCC Bridge, which was initiated during General (Retd) Pervez Musharraf’s regime, remains incomplete even though those responsible for completing the project have been paid.

Similarly, the contractor awarded the road project also received his payment in advance, but left the work incomplete, which has troubled commuters.

During the G-B Assembly session last Friday, opposition lawmakers raised the issue of corruption with respect to incomplete projects, and requested the chief minister to hold a fair inquiry.

Frustrated by the lack of a proper response, opposition member Nawaz Naji termed the legislature as a ‘fake’ assembly that did not have the powers to address issues of public interest.

“There are so many incomplete projects in G-B, but nobody is willing to take stock of the situation,” said Naji during the last session.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 29^th, 2013.