NHA Owes Rs3.1 Trillion, Money Problems Keep Growing

The National Highway Authority (NHA) is stuck in a money mess. It owes a huge Rs3.1 trillion, and it’s losing over Rs1.82 trillion this year, according to a news update. Even though it’s got stuff worth Rs5.8 trillion, it’s only bringing in Rs54.15 billion, which has people worried about how it’s going to keep going.

The Communications Minister, Abdul Aleem Khan, told the National Assembly that the NHA is short Rs318.03 billion this year. That’s better than last year’s Rs413 billion, but it’s still way more than it was a couple of years ago. He said the government gives the NHA loans for projects through a special program, and those come with interest.

The minister explained that the big shortfall number isn’t all real cash disappearing. A lot of it is stuff like interest on loans, losses from foreign money changes, and wear-and-tear costs. “It’s more about the paperwork than actual money going out,” he said.

A finance team report says the NHA’s debt is jumping up by Rs300 billion every year. Right now, it’s paying Rs98 billion just in interest, and that could climb past Rs150 billion soon. That’s bad news for the government, which promises to cover these loans if things go wrong.

The Finance Ministry pointed out three big problems: trouble with loans, shaky markets, and day-to-day struggles. The NHA keeps borrowing more, and with interest piling up, it’s putting a lot of pressure on the government’s wallet. That debt growing by Rs300 billion a year means the problem’s only getting bigger.