Pakistani parliamentary committee directs AJK govt to facilitate Chinese company

Islamabad: A Pakistani parliamentary committee has asked the Azad Jammu Kashmir (AJK) government and the National Engineering Services Pakistan (NESPAK) to facilitate Chinese company Xinjiang Beixin Road and Bridge Construction Co. Ltd.

The National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan summoned AJK Chief Secretary and Managing Director NESPAK in the next meeting

During the course of discussion on the project titled as “Construction of Rathoa-Haryam Bridge,” the Committee – with Syed Imran Ahmed Shah in the chair – was informed that about 75% physical progress of the said project has been completed while the remaining 25% work was lying in waiting due to an “unwanted tug of war” amongst the Government of AJK, NESPAK (Consultant) and the Chinese company – Xinjiang Beixin Road and Bridge Construction Co. Ltd.

Rathoa Haryam Bridge, Mirpur, also known as the Islamgarh Bridge is a 5-kilometre long bridge under construction in the Mirpur District of AJK.

The bridge will not only reduce the road link between Mirpur city and Islamgarh town to an unprecedented level, but will also reduce travelling time for commuters between district headquarters of Mirpur and Kotli, as well as between Mirpur and Dadyal sub-division.

The National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan was also briefed on other development projects. Regarding the status of approved Public Sector Development Program (PSDP) schemes in AJK and Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) undertaken during last three years, the Committee was informed that a considerable number of development schemes; worth billions of rupees, were carried out under the PSDP in AJK and the GB.

Apart from that, seven special development projects worth billions of rupees will also be undertaken by the federal government under the Prime Minister’s package in different parts of the GB.

The Committee decided to visit AJK and GB in order to oversee the on-ground physical progress of these projects.

The meeting was attended by Saleem Rehman, Mehboob Shah, Muhammad Bashir Khan, Muhammad Yaqoob Sheikh, Niaz Ahmed Jakhar, Jamshed Thomas, Nawabzada Iftikhar Ahmed Khan Babar and Shamim Ara Panhwar. The senior officers of Ministries of Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan, Planning Development and Special Initiatives and Commissioner Rehab, Government of AJK, were also present in the meeting.