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In a startling revelation, the Senate Standing Committee on Economic Affairs has unearthed rampant NHA corruption involving billions of rupees in fraudulent tendering and contracting practices. The findings point to a deeply entrenched network of mismanagement and cover-ups within the National Highway Authority (NHA).
During a heated committee meeting chaired by Senator Saifullah Abro, members slammed the NHA for orchestrating what was termed “managed tendering processes,” leading to colossal losses of public funds. Senators pointed out that contractors were allegedly favored out of greed, undermining national interests and exacerbating deprivation in smaller provinces.
The committee also learned that commissions ranging between 20% to 22% were being siphoned off from World Bank and Asian Development Bank-funded projects across most provinces, further amplifying concerns over the misuse of international loans meant to uplift Pakistan’s infrastructure.
Senator Abro fiercely criticized the NHA for consistently refusing to hand over critical bidding documents despite repeated committee instructions.
“Why are these documents being hidden? This is deliberate concealment, and if handed over to the FIA, the entire NHA team will be implicated,” he warned.
Echoing his concerns, Senator Kamil Ali Agha labeled the manipulated tendering as a “national crime,” stressing it destroys trust and fuels regional resentment. Other members urged strict accountability, demanding that future contracts include clauses to hold departments answerable for such gross violations.
The committee also directed the Economic Affairs Division to stop funding non-performing departments and to ensure robust oversight to curb NHA corruption. It recommended immediate action against officials involved in these irregularities, emphasizing the need to protect Pakistan’s public funds and restore confidence in the country’s development institutions.
