Supreme Court slams NHA over horrendous condition of N-25 highway
June 09, 2021
- CJP Gulzar Ahmed wonders where the NHA funds are utilised.
- Says NHA has become a “corrupt institution”.
- “NHA’s hands are filled with blood of those killed in accidents,” remarks chief justice.
Supreme Court on Wednesday slammed the National Highway Authority (NHA) for the horrendous condition that the N-25 highway is in and asked where the funds of the authority are utilised.
“Where are funds received by NHA utilised? Roads built by the NHA get damaged by rainwater,” remarked Chief Justice Gulzar Ahmed while hearing a case related to the condition of the N-25 highway.
The chief justice said that the authority has become a “corrupt institution”, adding that petrol pumps, hotels and shops have been developed on lease on highway lands.
He also shared a 2018 report that stated that 5,932 people were killed in 12,894 road accidents that took place during the year.
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The country’s top judge remarked that a “market for corruption” has opened in the NHA while people die due to negligence.
“NHA’s hands are filled with the blood of those killed in accidents,” remarked the chief justice.
Meanwhile, Justice Mazhar Alam Khan Miankhel remarked that he had received a report saying that in the current year 36,000 people have died in road accidents.
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At this, NHA Director Admin Shahid Ahsan assured the bench that the conditions of the roads will improve by the end of the year.
The court then directed the authority to submit a report on all the accidents and construction done on the highways.
After issuing the directives the bench adjourned the hearing of the case for an indefinite period.
