Imran Khan
The Prime Minister of Pakistan Islamabad.
 

Dear Prime Minister

 

REF: COMPLETE ROTHOA - HARYAM BRIDGE IN MIRPUR AJK

We the undersigned, British Kashmiris from the Mirpur District of Azad Jammu and Kashmir would like to draw your attention to a project in Mirpur which remains incomplete for over a decade. This is causing widespread concern amongst the citizens of Mirpur and also the diaspora community in Britain.

The citizens of Mirpur have twice been displaced from their ancestral homes within the past four decades. Initially for the construction of Mangla Dam and then for its upraising project. On both occasions, the citizens  made sacrifices for the general betterment of Pakistan.

The upraising of Mangla Dam project was initiated by the Government of Pakistan in 2001 which displaced 60000 citizens. To address the concerns and apprehensions of the people, an additional clause (6.1) was added for the construction of Haryam Bridge, within the signed agreement between the Governments of Pakistan, Azad Jammu & Kashmir and WAPDA.

The purpose of the Bridge was to reduce the travelling distance between Mirpur and major towns situated on the periphery of Mangla lake by 21 km and travelling time by 25 minutes. The distance between the two district headquarters of Mirpur and Kotli would also have reduced by 20%.

The project was designed with a 560 meter long cable-stayed structure in a critical zone where the soil conditions did not allow piers for regular RCC bridge. It was duly approved by Planning Commission in August 2006 at a cost of Rs.1.395 billion, but thereafter started a saga of bureaucratic mismanagement. The initial tendering process in 2008 concluded that even the lowest bid was more than three times the approved initial cost.

A high-level committee decided to look into other design options and finally decided on a conventional RCC bridge. Unfortunately, by that time, three years had elapsed and the project cost was increased to Rs. 4.233 billion by ECNEC. The project was retendered and was finally awarded in August 2011 to M/s Beixin Skyways JV, lead firm of which was a Chinese company. M/s NESPAK was appointed as the supervisory consultant.

While the construction of bridge was in progress, the consultant’s M/s NESPAK, after survey and soil testing, proposed changes in design which were approved by Government of Pakistan. The Contractor was requested to submit the final design and costings. Following consultation with relevant bodies, the ECNEC finally approved the 2nd revision for Rs. 6.480 billion in 2017.

The final stage of the project involves the installation of a steel bridge spanning 160 meters in length. The design for this was duly submitted by the Contractor and vetted by consultants along with the cost estimate. However, the project has been at a standstill for last two years. This will inevitably further increase the project cost. The approach roads measuring 4 kilometers have been completed. It is with great regret that only 25% of the work on the Main Bridge is remaining.  The irony is that over Rs. 2 billion is available with the implementing authorities for the completion of the bridge.

 

You will appreciate, that without the construction of the 160 meter centre span, the entire investment of Rs.4.5 billion, made to date, will be squandered. We, therefore, request you to kindly intervene in this matter emphatically to save a national project and pride from being tarnished, and pass the necessary orders for its early completion.

 

 

Campaign Initiators in Britain:

1.      Shams Rehman, Author, Researcher, Analyst. CONTACT:  shams.translasian@gmail.com, Tel: 07500135602

2.      Zaffar Iqbal, Zacharia  and Co Solicitors, Oldham, CONTACT: Zaffar@zachariasolicitors.co.uk,  Tel: 07791252111

3.      Councillor  Shoab Akhtar, Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council. CONTACT: shoab.akhtar@oldhman.gov.uk, Tel: 07973101633

4.      Maroof Hussain Advocate (ex councillor) Sheffield. CONTACT: maroof1966@yahoo.co.uk

5.      Wahid Kashir (Reading/Dadyal) CONTACT wahidkashir@hotmail.co.uk

6.      Dr Abdul Manaf, Emergency Physician, NHS HOSPITAL UK., Ex Resident of village Chak Haryam.  CONTACT: Manaf@doctors.org.uk , Tel: 07595330833

7.      Sajid Yousaf, Chief Editor ‘Kashmir Times’/ Writer and analyst, Birmingham.

8.      Councillor  Dr. Zulfiqar Ali, Cabinet member for Health, Social care and Education Newham council, Chairperson Kashmir Group for Rothoa-Haryam Bridge UK. CONTACT: Zulfiqar.ali@hotmail.co.uk: Tel: 0 7397 756342

9.       Muhammed Aslam Azad, Founding member of the Bridge completion Campaign, Nottingham, UK. CONTACT: azadma25@gmail.com.

10.  Councillor Daalat Ali, Deputy Leader Rochdale Borough Council. CONTACT: Daalat.ali@rochdale.gov.uk.

11.  Muhammed Ajeeb, Ex Lord Mayor Bradford.  CONTACT: ajeeb3@hotmail.com

12.  Councillor Javid Iqbal, ex-mayor Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council.  CONTACT: Javid.Iqbal@oldham.gov.uk. Tel: 07969021632

13.  Khan Shabir Khan, ex union councillor  Akalgarh, Nottingham.

14.  Councillor  Fareed Hussain, Derby City Council. CONTACT: Fareed.hussain59@gmail.com ,Tel: 07967604382

15.  Councillor  Tahir Rafiq, Bury Metropolitan Council. CONTACT: mtrafiq@hotmail.com

16.  Councillor  Muhammed Alyas, Oldham Metropolitan Borough, manager Pakistani Community Centre, CONTACT: Mohammed4Alyas@yahoo.co.uk.

17.  Aurang Zeb, Property Developer. Resident of Haryam/Bradford. CONTACT: Azaib@gmx.com. Tel:07767637686

18.  Asher Mehmood Azad, Journalist, Crescent Walk Bradford. CONTACT: waliaan@hotmail.com. Tel: 07914314670

19.  Qaiser Riaz, Founder of Islamgarh School Group. Writer and Poet, Islamgarh/Derby. CONTACT: 07977366923

20.  Councillor Asghar Khan Qureshi, Mayor Leeds City Council. CONTACT: Asghar.khan@leeds.gov.uk , Tel: 07761230027

21.  Zafar Tanveer, Journalist, Analyst, Mirpur/Bradford. Zaffartanweer53@hotmail.com , tel: 07984470796

22.  Councillor Ateeque ur Rehman, EX mayor Oldham MBC. CONTACT: ateeque.urrehman@oldham.gov.uk. Tel: 07973392078.

23.  Councillor Ansar Ali, Peterborough City Council. CONTACT: ansarali56@googlemail.com. Tel: 07825955875

24.  Councillor  Azad Choudhry, Nottingham City Council. CONTACT: azadchoudhry786@hotmail.com. 07711117661

25.  Nighat Rehman, Teaching Assistant, Resident of Akalgarh/Oldham.

26.  Nazia Kulsoom, Teacher, Mirpur/Oldham

27.  Safia Jabeen, Biochemist, Akalgarh/Oldham

28.  Asia Khatoon, House Wife, Derby/Mirpur.

29.  Naeem Khan, Commercial Company Lawyer/Director, Bedford. CONTACT: Naeem.khan10@nhs.net. Tel: 07585808505

30.  Nabeela Ahmed, poet/writer/ author, Bradford/Mirpur.

31.  Yasmin Yasin, Development Manager, Nottingham/ Akalgarh.

32.  Jamila Kaousar, Social Worker, Bradford/Mirpur.

33.  Abid Hussain Hashmi, Local Council Manager, Kirklees/Kotli.

34.  Abdul Qayum, Businessman, Kotli/Manchester.

35.  Jamila Ghazi, Luton/Mirpur

36.  Shamim Akhtar, Birmingham/Mirpur

37.  Samina Nahid, Birmingham/Mirpur

38.  Haji M Akram, Businessman, Manchester/Dadyal

39.  Abdul Ghafar Inqalabi, Nottingham/Chak Haryam, Director Inqalabi Development Aid UK. CONACT: 07598622025

40.  Councillor Mohammed Shafeeq, Bradford City Council. CONTACT: mohammed.shafiq@bradford.gov.uk

41.  Councillor Nyla Ibrahim, Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council. CONTACT: nyla.ibrahim@oldham.gov.uk, M: 07971 363806