Balochistan High Court directs NHA to improve highway facilities

QUETTA: The Balochistan High Court has directed the National Highway Authority (NHA) to improve facilities for travellers on national highways in the province, with particular focus on the N-25 and N-50. The order was issued on Wednesday while the court was hearing a constitutional petition, Dawn reported.

A two-member bench made up of Chief Justice Muhammad Kamran Khan Mulakhail and Justice Muhammad Najamuddin Mengal asked the NHA to take effective measures for plantation and drinking water supply along the highways. The court also directed the authority to provide other amenities for road users, although the report did not list each measure in detail.

Basharat Hussain, NHA Member for Balochistan's West Zone, appeared before the bench in compliance with an order dated April 9. That earlier order had required the authority to explain what it had done on the highways. After Wednesday's hearing, the bench issued its fresh instructions. No compliance deadline was mentioned.

The N-25 and N-50 are major national highways that run through Balochistan, connecting Quetta with other parts of the country. They carry passenger and freight traffic over long distances. Roadside facilities such as water, shade and resting places remain limited on many stretches, and travellers often cover long distances without basic services, particularly during the summer months.

The court's direction is part of continuing judicial oversight of road infrastructure in Balochistan. The NHA is the federal body responsible for building and maintaining national highways. Balochistan is part of the NHA's West Zone, which oversees national highways in the country's western regions. The report did not say when the NHA must report back, and no next hearing date was given. Further details of the petition and the parties involved were not immediately available.