ISLAMABAD: The meeting of the Standing Committee of Senate on Communications on Monday witnessed great commotion when members of the parliamentary body termed the National Highway Authority (NHA) a den of corruption and its chairman as one of the most corrupt government officials.
“There was a time when NHA had credibility but it has become a den of corruption since Chaurdhry Altaf assumed the charge as chairman,” Senator Humayoun Khan said, adding, “The incumbent chairman of NHA is one of the most corrupt officials in Pakistan who awards contracts to his cronies in utter disregard of rules”.
He also added that all contractors got together at the home of the NHA chairman every night, where ‘contracts were sold’. “I will raise the issue in the media, go to the Supreme Court and write to Transparency International about the NHA chairman’s corrupt ways”, Humayoun said. Reacting to the allegations, NHA Chairman Chaudhary Altaf also flared up and said, “Senator Humayoun Khan is a controversial figure in the present context as NHA has a dispute with his firm”.
At this, Humayoun stood up and started shouting, “I do not have any dispute with NHA.
I do not own any firm. He is lying to cover up his corruption ways”. Intervening in the situation that was virtually no less than a brawl, Standing Committee Chairman Wali Muhammad Badini snubbed Humayoun Khan, saying that he had no right to make personal comments about any of the officials. Protesting at Badini’s remarks, Humayoun walked out, saying he would not sit in the meeting if he was barred from exposing corrupt officials. Later, Senator Ismail Buledi brought him back to the meeting. Senator Zahid Khan said that he had ample proof of NHA’s corruption, which had awarded contracts for the Khushal Garh Bridge and Northern Bypass Road in Peshawar to the firms that did not meet the criterion.
