NA Body Unanimously Adopts 'The National Highways Safety (Amendment) Bill, 2019'

ISLAMABAD, Jul 8 (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 8th Jul, 2021 ) :The National Assembly's Standing Committee on Communications on Thursday unanimously adopted 'The National Highways Safety (Amendment) Bill, 2019 (Government Bill)' after detailed discussion.

The committee met here at ECO Postal Staff College under the chairmanship of MNA Ibadullah Khan.

The bill titled "The Pakistan Postal Services (Amendment) Bill, 2019 (moved by Amjad Ali Khan, MNA)" was presented and the committee decided to defer the bill till its next meeting.

The Secretary Ministry of Communications briefed the committee about the implementation status of previous recommendations of the Committee.

In his presentation on performance of the Pakistan Post from 2017 to 2020, he informed that during the financial year 2018-19 the revenue was Rs 14.76 billion which increased to Rs.15.97 billion in 2019-2020, while expenditure for the same period increased from Rs. 23.90 billion to Rs.26.35 billion. The deficit for 2018-19 was Rs. 9.135 billion which increased to Rs. 10.37 in 2019-20.

The committee was also briefed about working strength, employees retired and vacant posts from 2018 to 2020. The Secretary informed that to make the Pakistan Post FATF (Financial Action Task Force) compliant, the ministry was planning to revamp its financial services, and processes and procedures.

The committee directed the ministry to share restructuring plan of Pakistan Post, after its finalization, with the committee.

The committee discussed construction of an interchange at Chota Lahore on M-1. The proposed interchange is located about 7 kilometer from the Swabi Interchange and 13 km away from Col. Sher Khan interchange.

The committee recommended that the interchange at Chota Lahore on M-1 may be constructed to serve public, farmers and Tobacco, marble & other local industry of the area by providing direct access to M-1.

In its briefing on Hyderabad-Sukkur motorway, the member NHA Sindh informed that in the light of feasibility study and revised PC-1 the request for proposal (RFP) has been submitted for approval and after approval the project will be advertised.

Moreover, an amount of Rs 14.6 billion has been advanced on account of land acquisition of Hyderabad-Sukkur motorway and expected date of work on site is May 30, 2022.

The member updated the committee regarding construction of road between Sehwan Sharif and Jamshoro, he informed that this road consists of three packages i.e Jamshoro-Petaro, Petaro- Khanote and Khanote-Manjhand.

The package IC, Khanote-Manjand is sub judice due to which the work on the section is suspended.

The NHA informed that new motorways whose contracts were awarded during 2018 to 2021 include construction of two sections of Hoshab-Awaran-Khuzdar of M-8 comprising of package IA (73.5 km) and package IB (72.5 km). Moreover, the award on construction of Sialkot (Samrial) � Kharian motorway (69 km), on BoT Basis is under process.

The member Sindh NHA briefed the committee on Shahdad Kot bypass and Khuzdar road. He informed that this road was not in current PSDP and its feasibility was under process. The committee recommended that the Shahdad Kot bypass and completion of Shahdad Kot to Khuzdar road may be included in next PSDP.

Members of the committee mover and MNAs including Moulana Abdul Akbar Chitrali, Prince Muhammad Nawaz Allai, Saleh Muhammad, Engr. Usman Khan Tarakai, Imran Khattak, Syed Abrar Ali Shah, Ramesh Lal and the senior officers from the Ministry of Communications, National Highways Authority, Motorways Police, Ministry of Law & Justice and Pakistan Post attended the meeting.