ISLAMABAD: The chief of a Senate committee has lambasted the National Highway Authority (NH A) for `submitting a controversial report` to the Prime Minister`s Office about award of contracts for four lots of a project to a single joint venture called NXCC.

The project, sponsored by the Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation (Carec), carries an estimated cost of Rs120bn.

Senator Saifullah Abro, who heads the Standing Committee on Economic Affairs Division (EAD), termed the report `false and concocted`, saying that he had directed the NHA to present documents to prove eligibility of the JV and fair play in award of the contract.

The NHA submitted a status report to the Prime Minister`s Office rejecting allegations of irregularity and award of the ADBfunded Carec Tranche III project to a `blacklisted firm`, Ningxia Communications Construction Company (NXCC).

The NHA submitted documents, including an affidavit, stating that `the firm has never been involved in any litigation and blacklisting with government or semi-government departments or the private sector`.

The senator called upon the PM to order an inquiry into the matter, transfer all `officers who were part of the procurement` and appoint honest officers in their place. He said that `the entire NHA establishment was involved` in the matter and deserved to be penalised.