ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Communications Abdul Aleem Khan has removed National Highway Authority’s (NHA) Member South, Ramesh Alias Raja, citing poor performance of on the Lyari Expressway project being executed by the Frontier Works Organisation (FWO).
Announcing the decision on his social media handle, the minister said he was dissatisfied with the progress and quality of work being carried out on the expressway. However, officials within the NHA told Infra News PK that the move appeared an eyewash rather than performance-based.
They revealed that Ramesh Alias Raja had been appointed to the position only a few months ago by Abdul Aleem Khan himself, following a personal interview. “The issue on ground is primarily related to M/s FWO’s slow and substandard work, but instead of holding the contractor accountable, the minister chose to remove his own appointee perhaps to make a public impression,” one senior official remarked.
Interestingly, while the minister claimed on social media that the officer had been “suspended,” an official notification seen by Infra News PK shows that the member was merely transferred and directed to report to the NHA’s administration section for further posting.
Meanwhile, in a statement issued on Monday, Abdul Aleem Khan expressed dissatisfaction over the state of road infrastructure in Karachi, saying it did not reflect the stature of Pakistan’s economic hub. “This is my promise to the people of Karachi that the Lyari Expressway will be transformed into a model infrastructure,” he vowed.
The minister also announced that construction work on two major motorway projects the M-6 (Sukkur–Hyderabad) and M-10 (Hyderabad–Karachi Port) would commence within the current financial year. He described these projects as a “gift from the federal government to the people of Sindh,” adding that their completion would connect Karachi Port with the national highway network, boosting trade and logistics efficiency.
Abdul Aleem Khan reaffirmed the government’s resolve to ensure transparency, quality, and timely delivery in all federal infrastructure projects across Sindh.
