Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: To ensure security of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) route, a legislative body of the Upper House on Monday recommended the government to recruit people from where the corridor passes, which would directly involve the local community.

Chairing the Senate Standing Committee on Communications, Daud Khan Achakzai said that even the Chinese authorities were convinced that 100,000 security personnel could not protect the CPEC without involving the local residents.

“It seems that the commitment made by the government during the All Parties Conference (APC) with respect to completion of the western route by 2018 will not be fulfilled, but work may be started by then,” he said.

The committee also expressed annoyance at the authorities’ inaction over an incident, wherein law enforcers manhandled a motorway police official.

The victim was illegally detained at the Attock Fort for a considerable time before being released after intervention of some senior officers.

Communications Secretary Khalid Masood Chaudhry told the committee that the prime minister – the minister in-charge – was also informed about the incident. On September 16, an application for the joint investigation was submitted to the Prime Minister’s Office and a reply was awaited. He further said that the committee would be informed after taking a response from the PM’s Office.

On a written complaint of the SI/PO, an FIR No 1114 dated 10-09-2016 was registered under sections 279, 186, 353, 506, 365, 342, 148 and 149 of the Pakistan Penal Code in Akora Khattak Police Station in Nowshera district.

Later on, one of the accused also got registered an FIR No 1115 under sections 506, 148 and 149 of the PPC dated 12/09/2016 against the NH&MP officers.

Meanwhile, NHA Chairman Shahid Ashraf Tarar told the committee that funds were not being released in time by the Finance Ministry, which not only delayed the projects but also resulted in escalation of their cost.

The motorway police informed that Rs 4.676 billion were allocated to the department, of which Rs 4.487 billion were spent in 2015-16. For 2016-17, an amount of Rs 5.1 billion was earmarked, of which Rs 1.036 had been spent so far.

The committee was further informed that posts of 727 constables/JPO were advertised in 2014, but only 208 were appointed. Furthermore, posts of 321 SI/patrol officers were advertised in 2015-16, but 258 were appointed through the FPSC. In 2016, the recruitment of 400 officials was under process, he said. The committee was further informed that a case for 3,000 posts had been submitted, which was currently with the Finance Ministry and might be approved by end of the current month.