The Senate Standing Committee on Economic Affairs on Monday sharply criticized the National Highway Authority (NHA) for failing to produce essential paperwork concerning the Asian Development Bank (ADB) Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation (CAREC) Tranche-III (Rajanpur-DG Khan-DI Khan) project, ignoring repeated requests.

Chaired by Senator Saifullah Abro, the session included Senators Haji Hidayatullah Khan, Syed Waqar Mehdi, Falak Naz, and Kamil Ali Agha, along with representatives from the Economic Affairs Division (EAD) and NHA.

Senator Abro highlighted that despite a Senate Secretariat communication dated August 4, 2025, and specific instructions from the committee’s previous gathering, the NHA hadn’t supplied the necessary documentation for CAREC Tranches II and III. The NHA’s chief executive acknowledged that some replies were still awaited from companies and divisions, with incomplete data sent to the Ministry of Communications, but not the committee.

The committee learned that the Prime Minister had initiated a high-level investigation and suspended eight employees, including top NHA administrators Fayyaz Ahmed Khattak (GM P and CA), Asim Amin, Imtiaz Ahmed Khokhar, and Sami ur Rehman (retired), due to procurement violations.

Senator Kamil Ali Agha labeled the suspensions a ‘grave issue’ and requested the committee receive the accused officers’ charge sheets. He also urged the EAD to assign an officer to liaise with the NHA and furnish a preliminary response.

The committee instructed the NHA to promptly deliver joint venture contracts, Pakistan Engineering Council certifications, task orders, completion certifications, and tax withholding details of all three project contenders. It also asked for information on joint venture associates in the Lodhran-Multan project, citing serious apprehension about altered and counterfeit papers submitted by enterprises including M/s Rustam Associates and M/s Dynamic Constructors.

Senator Abro also condemned awarding the Shandoor-Gilgit road project to M/s Ningxia Communications Construction Co. Ltd. (NXCC), even though the firm had been barred from two ADB projects for presenting false credentials. ‘Task orders totaling Rs10 billion were given in a single day. Extensive irregularities occurred,’ he stated, deeming the situation a major oversight by the NHA.

The committee further voiced concerns about alleged manipulation of arbitration selections in collaboration with local associates, querying how NXCC could finish the undertaking when its own Islamabad High Court appeal claimed it was entitled to only 3% of the project’s worth.

Deeply troubled by recurring failures, the committee resolved to reconvene within a week to finalize the issue. It also directed the Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) to submit documents at least 48 hours before future sessions.