Balochistan given priority in road projects: Gul Asghar

Parliamentary Secretary for Communications Gul Asghar Khan told the National Assembly on Friday that Balochistan, which covers a large part of Pakistan’s road network, is being given top priority in current and future road projects.
Responding to a question during question hour, he said that about 40 percent of the country’s total road network lies in Balochistan, making it an important part of Pakistan’s transport system.
The federal government, he assured, would continue to focus on the province in all National Highway Authority (NHA) and Motorway projects.
Gul Asghar Khan informed the House that one road section in the province had become unusable after completing its lifespan, despite heavy investment.
However, rehabilitation work on the entire 100-kilometre stretch had already begun to ease travel problems for local people.
“A damaged five-kilometre portion is also being upgraded,” he said, adding that the contractor had been directed to sprinkle water regularly and take steps to reduce inconvenience to the public during construction.

Reaffirming the government’s commitment to improving road conditions, he said efforts were underway to make travel safer and smoother for commuters.
The parliamentary secretary said two main organizations — the National Highway Authority and the Motorway Police — work under the Ministry of Communications, each keeping a six percent employment quota for Balochistan.
He explained that NHA recruitments are made through open competition after publishing job advertisements in national newspapers, in line with the federal government’s quota policy.
“Currently, 86 employees are working under the Balochistan quota out of 1,818 staff members in Grade 10 and above,” he noted, adding that the representation was fair and transparent.
He further said the quota was also being fully implemented in the Motorway Police to ensure participation of Balochistan’s workforce in national institutions.
Replying to another question, Gul Asghar Khan said that since November 2023, the NHA had implemented a 100 percent Axle Load Control Regime on all national highways and motorways.
“This strict zero-tolerance policy against overloading helps protect road pavements. Overweight vehicles now face heavy fines and legal action,” he said.
The system, he added, is being enforced through 210 weight stations, including 14 mobile units, in coordination with the National Highways and Motorway Police.
He also said that NHA was improving highway safety standards by upgrading accident-prone road sections in line with national and international best practices.