Special audit of Lowari Tunnel’s civil work ordered
By Zulfiqar Ahmad
ISLAMABAD: Minister of state for communications Murad Saeed has written a letter to Auditor General of Pakistan (AGP), asking him to undertake a special audit of five mega projects of National Highway Authority (NHA), which also include Lowari Tunnel (N-45) civil works.
The projects are: Lyari Expressway, Khuzdar-Shahdadkot Highway (M-8), Gwadar-Turbat-Hoshab Highway (M-8), Lowari Tunnel (N-45) civil works, and Kalat-Quetta-Chaman Highway (N-25).
In a letter to the auditor general of Pakistan (AGP), Mr Saeed said these five projects of NHA were inordinately delayed, causing price escalation and other adverse effects on the governance. He asked the AGP to conduct a special audit of these projects and submit the report within 30 days.
On Sept 19, Saeed hinted at launching e-tendering and billing system across the country to ensure transparency and accountability within the ministry.
He reiterated that there will be no compromise on transparency and accountability and from the first day the government has implemented revolutionary vision of change and reforms in the institutions. He also vowed to implement Prime Minister Imran Khan’s vision of eradicating corruption and strengthening public departments.
He was briefed by National Highway Authority (NHA) chairman and other attached departments on the major ongoing, pending and future projects. He also directed the ministry’s officials to launch a smart phone app within a month to provide necessary information particularly the project’s implementation, execution and progress in the desired region.
“This application is not new as it’s already been functional in most of the developed countries,” he said.
We needn’t be much optimistic. Such announcements usually vanish into thin air very soon. If not, what happened to the Chief Justice’s suo moto notice on Lowari tunnel closure?. Hasn’t it vanished into thin air?