Islamabad: The Senate Standing Committee on Communications assessed the issues of highways in Balochistan such as poor road conditions, maintenance problems, and traffic challenges, as reported in a news article on August 21.
According to a recent report, it has been revealed that over the past five years, more than 46,000 accidents occurred on these roads. Senator Samina Mumtaz Zehri presented data from the Balochistan Medical Emergency Response Centre (BMERC), highlighting key roads including Uthal (N-25), Kalat (N-25), Gwadar (N-10), and Killa Saifullah (N-50), which together cover 620 kilometres. Despite significant funding, the N-25 remains incomplete.
The committee discussed concerns about the allocation and use of funds over the past decade and called for clarification from the National Highway Authority (NHA) and the Ministry of Communications.
The impact of toll plazas on local communities was also addressed, along with factors contributing to accidents such as speeding, overloading, and driver behaviour. The motorway police reported 422 accidents in the west zone since 2019, resulting in 304 deaths and 952 injuries.
Senators questioned whether these factors fully explain the high accident rate and requested a review of the NHA’s highway maintenance practices. Senator Tallal Badar emphasized the need for better measures to address road damage, noting that the annual road maintenance budget exceeds PKR15 billion.
The NHA Chairman pointed out funding limitations, stating that the PKR 2.4 billion allocated for repairing 14,483 kilometres of the road was inadequate. Committee Chairman Senator Pervaiz Rashid stressed the need for effective solutions to improve road safety.
As a graduate in English Literature, Zohaib believes that words are not just a mere figment of imagination. It takes wisdom to be good at them. Following this reason, he is pursuing his career as Public Relations and Content Specialist at Zameen.com.
