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Islamabad: The National Highway Authority (NHA) is under pressure after a Senate committee expressed serious concerns over delays in project restructuring, slow progress on major road schemes and the need for better management of billions of rupees invested in national highways. The Senate Standing Committee on Planning, Development and Special Initiatives questioned why important decisions regarding NHA projects had not been completed on time and directed authorities to speed up work to prevent further delays. The committee, chaired by Senator Quratulain Marri, reviewed the progress of NHA projects and examined issues related to projects financed through the Cash Development Loan system. Officials informed the committee that NHA was preparing a complete debt restructuring plan in coordination with the Ministry of Communications and Finance Division. The committee expressed concern over delays in implementing earlier decisions of the Economic Coordination Committee regarding the review and separation of NHA projects under the Public Sector Development Programme. Senator Quratulain Marri said the review process should have been completed much earlier and questioned why important decisions were still pending. NHA officials informed the committee that the review of projects was currently underway and assured members that the process would be completed as soon as possible. The committee also reviewed progress on major highway projects, including the M6 Motorway and N55 Highway. Officials informed the committee that the groundbreaking ceremony for the M6 Motorway Project is expected later this year. Regarding the N5 Highway, NHA officials said rehabilitation work on different sections was currently continuing with financial support from the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank. Officials told the committee that NHA conducts yearly surveys of highways to check their condition and classify roads as poor, fair or good. They said these surveys help authorities identify damaged sections and plan repair and maintenance work before conditions become worse. The committee also examined progress on the foreign funded portion of the N55 project. Officials informed members that the project was divided into different sections and progress varied across each part. They said one section from Shikarpur to Kandhkot had achieved 34 percent physical progress, with only eight months remaining before the completion deadline. The committee stressed that the remaining work must be completed within the planned time because delays increase costs and affect public convenience. Officials also informed the committee that another section from Kandhkot to Kashmore had achieved 22 percent progress and may face difficulties in meeting the original completion schedule. However, officials said other sections of the project were expected to be completed on time. The committee warned that delays in road projects not only waste public resources but also slow economic growth, trade activities and travel facilities for citizens. Senator Quratulain Marri emphasized that government departments should focus on completing existing projects before starting new development schemes. She said limited public funds must be used carefully and ongoing projects should receive priority until they are substantially completed. The committee directed NHA and relevant departments to improve coordination, complete pending reviews and ensure that important highway projects move forward without unnecessary delays.

HARIPUR: Police have arrested four suspects in connection with the alleged abduction, sexual assault and murder of a five-year-old girl whose body was recovered from a deserted well in Haripur after an extensive search operation. Haripur District Police Officer Shafiullah Gandapur said the child was reported missing by her father on August 10. Police registered a case under relevant provisions of the Pakistan Penal Code and launched a search operation to trace her. A special investigation team was subsequently formed, comprising senior police officers, investigators and female police officials. A separate technical team was assigned to examine digital evidence, including CCTV footage, call records and geofencing data. Police reviewed footage from around 200 cameras and examined the records of 20 suspected telephone numbers. Investigators said footage from 12 cameras proved particularly significant in reconstructing the child’s movements after she left home and identifying individuals allegedly travelling in the area on foot and on a motorcycle. Three suspects were initially arrested, and police also recovered a motorcycle allegedly used in the incident. According to police, one suspect recorded a statement before a court admitting his involvement in the alleged abduction and sexual assault. The other suspects were produced before the court for further legal proceedings. Police later arrested a fourth suspect. Information obtained during the investigation led officers to a deep, dry and overgrown well located on a vacant plot near Link Road on University Road, close to a warehouse. A search team, assisted by Rescue 1122 personnel, recovered the child’s body from the well. The recovery operation was monitored by the DPO and senior members of the investigation team. The body was shifted to the Rescue 1122 Trauma Centre in Haripur, where a post-mortem examination was conducted. Doctors collected X-rays and samples for DNA and other forensic examinations. The results are awaited. The investigation has faced additional difficulties because some suspects are reportedly underage and did not possess identity documents. Police said they therefore examined telephone records linked to their family members and other numbers considered relevant to the case. The search for the missing child involved hundreds of personnel. More than 400 police officials, along with staff from the Tehsil Municipal Administration and Water and Sanitation Agency, participated in searches covering drains, sewerage lines, vegetation, vacant plots and deserted locations around the University of Haripur, Pathan Colony and nearby areas. Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Inspector General of Police Zulfiqar Hameed took notice of the case, while Hazara DIG Nasir Mahmood Satti visited Haripur to review the investigation. The DPO briefed him on the evidence collected, CCTV findings and progress in identifying and arresting the suspects. The DIG also met the victim’s family and assured them that the investigation would be pursued according to law. Meanwhile, K-P Chief Minister Sohail Afridi condemned the alleged crime and ordered a comprehensive investigation. He directed authorities to ensure that every aspect of the case was examined and that those found responsible were dealt with strictly under the law. The chief minister expressed condolences to the child’s family and said crimes against children would not be tolerated. He assured the family that the provincial government would support them and that the suspects would face legal consequences if found guilty.