NHA Maintenance Contractors Stage Protest in Karachi Over Delayed Payments -

Maintenance contractors from across Sindh, under the platform of the All Pakistan Association of NHA Contractors, staged a protest demonstration outside the regional headquarters of the National Highway Authority on Shahrah-e-Faisal on Tuesday, demanding immediate payment of verified bills, release of securities and urgent attention to the growing financial crisis in the construction sector.

The protest was part of a countrywide campaign already held in Islamabad, Peshawar and various parts of Punjab. Contractors said they had been forced to take to the streets due to continuous delays in the payment of three or more Interim Payment Certificates (IPCs), despite the fact that the work had been completed, inspected and officially verified by the relevant authorities.

Speaking to journalists, representatives of the contractors said maintenance contracts under the NHA are awarded through a transparent legal and technical process in accordance with Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA) rules. They said contractors are invited through newspaper advertisements and selected after technical and financial evaluations followed by formal agreements.

The contractors explained that after completion of work, every stage passes through detailed inspections, measurements, laboratory testing and verification by engineers, consultants and field staff before IPCs are issued. Despite fulfilling all contractual requirements, they said, payments continue to face unnecessary delays.

They argued that withholding or delaying payments of verified bills is against the spirit of contractual obligations and internationally accepted FIDIC-based agreements. According to the protesters, such practices not only raise legal concerns but also damage the credibility of the entire construction system.

The contractors pointed out that the procurement and contracting mechanism operates under the supervision of the PPRA, the Ministry of Communications and relevant engineering bodies, where every stage is documented and legally protected. However, they said the persistent payment hurdles have created severe uncertainty within the industry.

They warned that the delay in payments has pushed contractors into a serious financial crisis. Wages of labourers, machinery rentals, fuel expenses and supplier payments have been badly affected, while millions of rupees remain stuck in securities, retention money and pending bills.

The protesters said the crisis is not only impacting contractors but also threatening the livelihoods of thousands of engineers, technicians, labourers and workers associated with the construction and maintenance sector. Several experienced firms, they added, are being forced to either scale down operations or completely exit the industry.

They further said that in developed countries, the construction industry is treated as a backbone of national development, whereas in Pakistan the sector is facing instability due to continuous financial bottlenecks.

Referring to toll tax collections, the contractors said the primary purpose of tolls collected from the public is to ensure safe, smooth and quality travel facilities. If maintenance work suffers due to non-payment, they said, the very purpose of the toll system is undermined.

The protesters emphasized that contractors are not investors in the government but service providers working under legally binding contracts. Delays in payments, they said, are disrupting the entire operational and financial chain.

The contractors demanded immediate intervention by the Prime Minister for the release of all verified payments in accordance with laws, contracts and regulations. They also called for granting full financial and administrative authority to the NHA to ensure a transparent and effective payment mechanism.

Describing the NHA as a vital national institution that has developed thousands of kilometres of highways and motorways across the country, the protesters said the authority plays a central role in national development and connectivity and therefore requires stronger institutional support.

The protest ended peacefully, but the contractors warned that if the issue remains unresolved, the scope of demonstrations could be expanded further across the country. – ER

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