National Highways Safety Ordinance 2000: Senate body approves amendments

ISLAMABAD, Dec 01 (APP):A meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Communications was held under the chairmanship of Senator Prince Ahmed Omar Ahmadzai on Tuesday.

The meeting reviewed in detail the private member’s bill for amendment in National Highways Safety Ordinance, 2000 which was introduced by Senator Mohsin Aziz in the Senate session.

Amendments to the National Highways Safety Ordinance 2000 Amendment Bill introduced by Senator Mohsin Aziz have been approved.
In which new rules will be made for people driving under the influence of drugs.

Under which the National Highways and Motorways Police can impose a fine of up to Rs 25,000 or one month imprisonment or both.
If the same person is caught driving under the influence of drugs again, the fine will be increased from Rs 25,000 to Rs 50,000 and one month imprisonment will be increased to six months, said Senator Mohsin Aziz.

The committee has directed Senator Behrmand Khan Tangi and Senator Dinesh Kumar to hold a detailed consultative meeting on the bill in collaboration with the Ministry of Communications.

The committee was informed that section of National Highway (N-35) from Havelian to Shahina Jamil Hospital passing through Abbottabad city has been widened and rehabilitation plan has been reviewed in detail.
The plan includes widening of 17 km from Havelian to Abbottabad, said Secretary Communications. However the issue of land acquisition is coming up in the project.

The committee also reviewed the progress report on repair / construction of remaining part of local link road from Forest Check Post Sehlad, Abbottabad to Dheri Makra.
The committee has received a request from the locals stating that the local road was used during the construction of CPEC and it was not repaired later, the committee chairman said.

All the local roads used during the construction of CPEC were repaired.
The petitioner should be summoned in the next meeting of the committee and the matter should be reviewed in detail by bringing both the parties face to face, said Senator Kamil Ali Agha.

The committee chairman said the petitioner should be summoned in the next committee meeting. The meeting was attended by Senators Kamil Ali Agha, Mohsin Aziz, Dinesh Kumar, Manzoor Ahmed Kakar, Muhammad Akram, Abida Muhammad Azeem, Secretary Ministry of Communications, Chairman NHA and other senior officials.