NHA Awards Project to Ineligible Firms; Senate Panel Recommends Blacklisting and Action Against Officials

Islamabad: A major revelation has surfaced regarding the **National Highway Authority (NHA)** awarding a portion of the **CAREK project** to three ineligible companies. The **Senate Standing Committee on Economic Affairs**, chaired by Senator Saifullah Abro, has recommended that these firms be **blacklisted** and that action be taken against the NHA officials involved.

During the committee meeting, it was disclosed that one Chinese company, previously declared non-performer in the Lodhran-Multan project and disqualified in Lot-1 and Lot-2, was nevertheless deemed eligible for Lot-3 despite failing to meet the criteria.

Senator Abro criticized the NHA’s defense that it only considered submitted documents without verifying supporting evidence. Senator Rubina Khalid questioned why no action was taken against officials who approved **fake documents**, while Senator Azam Swati raised concerns over irregularities in the bidding process, where variations ranged from **70% to 125%**, far beyond the normal 10–15%.

NHA officials failed to confirm whether **NCCX**, a key Chinese company, was state-owned or private. Senators insisted this should have been verified, with recommendations to raise the matter formally with the Chinese government if necessary.

The committee recommended **blacklisting the Chinese firm and its local JV partners** for submitting forged documents, and initiating **legal proceedings** against them. It also urged disciplinary action against the NHA officers who approved the fraudulent paperwork.

Additionally, the committee directed recovery of excess funds, noting that two companies with only 35% shareholding each had drawn payments equivalent to 100%. Senator Abro stressed that **strict accountability** must be ensured to prevent such misconduct in the future.