The Senate Standing Committee on Communications has taken notice of alleged corruption amounting to billions of rupees in the National Highway Authority (NHA) Rajanpur and Dera Ghazi Khan projects.
The Committee Chairman, Senator Pervaiz Rasheed, has summoned officials from the Ministry of Communications and the NHA to appear before the committee on July 8, 2025, and submit complete details regarding two Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) projects—PSDP Nos. 23 and 25 for the fiscal year 2025–26.
Chairman committee also directed the NHA officials to provide a comprehensive briefing on the status of the road construction and land acquisition, including current status of both projects, total approved cost and expenditures incurred so far, progress made in terms of work completed and total land required as well as land acquired to date and number of affected individuals (whose properties fall within the project’s scope) and compensation payments made.
The committee has also instructed the NHA officials to furnish full details of all affected landowners who have been compensated.
Sources said that the Asian Development Bank has funded these projects, including the construction of the 121.5 km Rajanpur to Dera Ghazi Khan (N-55 Indus Highway) four-lane road.
As per details, misappropriation worth Rs. 1.5 billion occurred even before physical work on the project began.
In addition, irregularities amounting to over Rs. 5 billion have been reported in compensation payments for land acquisition related to the reconstruction of the Rajanpur to Dera Ghazi Khan and Dera Ghazi Khan to Dera Ismail Khan sections of the N-55 Indus Highway.