President orders inquiry into NHA's non-payment of dues for Balochistan land
Pakistan
President orders inquiry into NHA’s non-payment of dues for Balochistan land
ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – President Dr Arif Alvi on Thursday ordered inquiry into the National Highway Authority’s (NHA) non-payment of dues for land it acquired from residents for constructing a road in Sorab.
Mr Alvi, while rejecting the NHA’s appeal against the decision of federal ombudsman, expressed anger over making 23 people wait for payments for four years. The president also ordered the authority to comply with the orders and present the report within thirty days. He asked why the ombudsman’s orders were not acted upon earlier. “The case was taken up for approval by the Executive Committee of National Economic Council (ECNEC) after four years”, he added.
The NHA’s carelessness was evident from its act adding the authority did not act upon Land Acquisition Act 1894. “It is the NHA’s responsibility to credit funds to the deputy commissioner or district collector for payment of dues”, he added.
Earlier, the authority had acquired land from the residents of Sorab to construct a road, however, it did not pay them after the completion of the project. Resultantly, the citizens filed a plea with the federal ombudsman.
