Government Instructs National Highway Authority To Prioritize Viable P

Government Instructs National Highway Authority To Prioritize Viable Projects

Federal Minister Senator Ahad Khan Cheema told the NHA to focus on financially viable projects and create a practical business plan.

NationPulse Desk

Oct 24, 2026 · 4:51 PM 1 min read

Key takeaways

Senator Ahad Khan Cheema directed the National Highway Authority to prioritize financially viable projects.

The minister chaired a meeting to review the National Highway Authority financial position and business plan.

Cheema called for realistic commercial indicators in project planning documents known as PC-Is.

External financing must not cause cuts to the National Highway Authority allocation under the Public Sector Development Programme.

Federal Minister for Economic Affairs Senator Ahad Khan Cheema told the National Highway Authority to prioritize financially viable projects and build a practical business plan during a meeting on financial positions, business strategies, and an ongoing Asian Development Bank consultant assessment.

Cheema stressed the importance of clear execution schedules and reviews of the institutional capacity within the authority.

Project planning documents, known as PC-Is, need realistic commercial indicators to help the Central Development Working Party evaluate them properly, according to the minister. He also instructed officials to group projects by financial viability and funding needs to direct investment choices.

External or commercial loans must not reduce allocations from the Public Sector Development Programme, Cheema warned, stating that federal development funds remain critical for the authority. He requested prompt sharing of project feasibility evaluations with the Central Monitoring Unit of the Finance Division.

The minister urged the National Highway Authority to accelerate coordination with the Asian Development Bank consultant regarding project mapping, feasibility studies, and financial modeling to spot economically sound investments and lower future debt-servicing risks.

Questions and answers

Who directed the National Highway Authority to focus on financially viable projects?

Federal Minister for Economic Affairs Senator Ahad Khan Cheema directed the National Highway Authority to prioritize financially viable projects.

What did the minister say about the Public Sector Development Programme?

Cheema stressed that external or commercial financing must not lead to cuts in the National Highway Authority allocation under the Public Sector Development Programme.