A Senate committee was left stunned on Friday after learning about a planned 16-kilometre motorway between Lahore and Raiwind, sparking tough questions over project priorities and fairness in national development.
During a meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Planning and Development, Chairperson Senator Quratulain Marri questioned the purpose of the short motorway. She pointedly asked, “Are you building a motorway just for one house?” referring to its proximity to a high-profile residence.
Officials from the Planning Ministry explained that the project falls under the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP). They noted that last year’s PSDP spending reached Rs1 trillion, and this year, 55 new and unapproved projects have been added, pending full reviews and NOCs from the Planning Commission.
The committee also learned that Rs100 billion has been allocated for the N-5 Highway in Balochistan, while seven highway projects will receive foreign aid. The Islamic Development Bank will fund three sections of the M-6 Motorway, and other sections will be handled through public-private partnerships.
Senator Marri emphasized that no new motorway projects should be approved for Punjab until ongoing projects in other provinces are completed. Officials responded that the Punjab government will fund the Lahore-Raiwind route, and a land survey by the National Highway Authority (NHA) is underway.
Meanwhile, Senator Sadia Abbasi raised concerns about Islamabad’s public library, highlighting termite damage to books. She proposed the creation of an Allama Iqbal Research Center and a new national library, stressing the need to wisely allocate development funds across all sectors.