Peshawar, Dec 12, 2025: During hearing of a petition at Peshawar High Court, funding issues plaguing key road projects in Chitral were highlighted on Thursday.
The chief justice of the high court took up the petition with senior officials from the National Highway Authority (NHA) present in the court.
The provincial NHA member informed the court that contractors for the Shandur Road project are to be paid Rs 290 million; however, the department currently does not have the necessary funds. As a result, the contractor has issued a notice to halt all work until payment is made.
On a petition filed by advocate Shakeel Durani, the chief engineer (North) C&W, informed the court that the provincial government also does not have the required budget for the construction of the Broghil Road, leaving the project in a state of uncertainty.
During questioning about the Torkhow Road, the chief engineer revealed that the federal government released only Rs 7 million instead of the requested Rs500 million. He added that if the court had not summoned the chief secretary and obtained a statement from the Secretary C&W, work on the project would not have been possible this year or in 2026.
The ongoing construction of the road is therefore continuing solely under court orders and bridge financing, without any involvement from elected representatives.
The provincial government, by acting on the court’s directives, has demonstrated the supremacy of law, while the secretary C&W arranged Rs 50,000 in provincial bridge financing to ensure that the work could continue, preventing the project from being halted entirely.
Advocate Abdul Wali Khan appeared in court alongside advocate Abdul Qasim Ali Shah.
Given the current financial constraints, the Shandur Road project is unlikely to be completed in the immediate future. Officials indicated that a meeting of federal authorities to be held soon may determine the next steps for these projects and could potentially result in some progress.
Related:
Work On Shandur Road Halted Due to Pending Payments.
Corruption alleged in construction of Shandur road.
Chitral’s Key Projects Hit by Delays, Funding Shortfalls, Say Elders.
