ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly (NA) Standing Committee on Communications said Thursday that overcharging and sale of low quality edibles and other products along the motorway will not be tolerated and M-9 will be upgraded to the level of other motorways.
The committee meeting was presided over by Member of National Assembly (MNA) Muhammad Muzammil Qureshi held National Highways and Motorway Police (NH&MP) headquarters.
During the meeting, the NA body was informed that high rates were being charged for edible items on the motorways and most stocks being sold at shops were of low quality. The body directed the National Highways Authority (NHA) to take action against those involved in the heinous crime and report back to the committee.
Moreover, the body was informed that the M-0 was deprived of those facilities which were available on M-2 and other motorways of the country. The officials concerned informed that people were making entry points to the highway without taking prior permission from M-9 officials. On hearing this, the NA body agreed to bring the M-9 at par with other motorways.
In addition, officials belonging to the NH&MP told the committee that several new highways and motorways projects had been completed in Sindh and Balochistan provinces. But motorway police could not be deployed on the newly constructed routes because the finance division did not approve the necessary funds.
Members of the body took serious notice of the issue and directed the officials concerned to properly follow the case and solve it within a month, otherwise, both the finance division and the establishment division would be called to attend the meeting to explain their position on the matter.
Furthermore, the standing committee observed that the communications division was still behind schedule to complete road projects around the country, while the China Pakistan Economic Corridor project was in its final stage. The committee recommended that special interest should be shown by the departments concerned in this regard.
The meeting was also attended by Minister of State for Communications Muhammad Anwer, MNAs Saleem Rehman, Engineer Hamidul Haq Khalil, Sanjay Perwani, Naseema Hafeez Panezai, Engineer Usman Khan Tarakai, Shahjehan Munir Mangrio, NHA Chairman Shahid Tarar, and relevant senior civil officers.
