Islamabad: A consortium led by a state-owned Chinese firm has appealed to Senate Chairman Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani to intervene against what it described as the “misuse of the Senate platform” to obstruct the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-funded N-55 CAREC Tranche-III highway expansion project.
In a letter dated 26 August 2025, the NXCC–RA–DC Joint Venture — comprising Ningxia Communications Construction Co. Ltd, Rustam Associates, and Dynamic Constructors — alleged that sitting senators were attempting to derail the award of contracts for the dualization of 326 kilometers of the N-55 highway between Rajanpur, D.G. Khan, and D.I. Khan. The project, executed by the National Highway Authority (NHA), is seen as vital for regional connectivity and economic development.
The joint venture claimed it was lawfully declared the lowest evaluated bidder with a margin of Rs. 13.2 billion for all four construction lots after a transparent and ADB-approved process. However, the letter alleged that the losing bidders — Matracon (owned by Senator Abdul Qadir) and Zahir Khan & Brothers (owned by Senator Ahmed Khan) — had engaged Senator Saif Ullah Abro to pressure government officials into reopening the concluded bidding process.
The letter accused Senator Abro of adopting an “aggressive and dismissive” attitude in parliamentary forums, compelling officials to revisit the procurement despite the ADB’s issuance of a No Objection Certificate (NOC) and the Federal Government’s sovereign commitment under its Loan Agreement with ADB to only engage a contractor acceptable to the lender.
“This misuse of parliamentary privilege and public office jeopardizes a nationally significant project, unfairly maligns dedicated public servants, and risks Pakistan’s reputation with international financial partners,” the letter stated.
The consortium urged Chairman Gilani to protect the sanctity of the Senate from being used as a tool for “vested commercial interests” and to ensure the project moves forward without further obstruction.
The Rs. 146 billion N-55 CAREC project forms part of Pakistan’s commitments under the Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation (CAREC) program, co-financed by the ADB. Any delays, observers warn, could impact Pakistan’s credibility with international lenders and slow progress on critical infrastructure aimed at boosting trade and connectivity.
Earlier this year, Mishal Pakistan, a partner institute of the World Economic Forum, also raised concerns over conflict of interest in parliamentary proceedings. In a letter to the Senate Chairman, it cautioned that such practices would undermine the credibility of the Senate and create distrust among the public if not addressed transparently..
