Islamabad, April 7, 2026: The National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Planning, Development and Special Initiatives on Tuesday expressed serious concern over delays and financial viability issues surrounding the Rs465 billion Lahore–Bahawalnagar Motorway project, directing the government to submit a comprehensive report.
The 14th meeting of the committee, chaired by Syed Abdul Kadir Gillani, was held at Parliament House to review key development projects and policy matters.
The committee took up a Calling Attention Notice moved by Syed Naveed Qamar regarding the federal government’s takeover of the motorway project. Lawmakers raised concerns over alleged violations of fiscal priorities and diversion of resources from nationally strategic initiatives.
Officials from the relevant ministry briefed the committee on project timelines and financing arrangements. However, members questioned the viability of the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model, particularly in the current economic environment marked by inflation and fiscal constraints.
Expressing dissatisfaction over the briefing, the committee decided to form sub-committees to further examine the project and assess delays in schemes undertaken by Pakistan Infrastructure Development Company Limited.
The committee also reviewed the status of the N-5 National Highway, noting that the project remains incomplete. Officials attributed the delay to ongoing litigation, prompting the committee to seek a detailed report.
Members stressed the urgent need for development projects in Dera Ismail Khan, highlighting that large-scale infrastructure initiatives require federal support rather than relying solely on provincial governments.
The committee further decided to conduct a verification visit to infrastructure projects in Balochistan under IFRAP and submit findings for review.
During deliberations on a starred question raised by Shazia Sobia Aslam Soomro, members voiced concerns over discrepancies between reported progress in education and health sectors and findings from international assessments, including those by UNICEF.
Lawmakers questioned the effectiveness of development spending, particularly in Punjab, despite significant allocations.
In response, officials clarified that education and health are provincial subjects following constitutional devolution. They also noted that development funds have effectively shrunk in real terms due to inflation, even as provincial PSDP allocations have increased.
The committee raised no objections to the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) proposals of the Ministry of Planning for the upcoming fiscal year. However, consideration of key legislative items, including amendments to the Public Private Partnership Authority Act and the General Statistics Act, was deferred to a future meeting.
The session was attended by several members of parliament, including Syed Sami Ul Hassan Gillani, Naz Baloch, Akhtar Bibi, and Major (R) Tahir Iqbal, while others joined via video link. Senior officials from relevant ministries and departments were also present.
