By Muhammad Faisal Kaleem
ISLAMABAD: In a major administrative reshuffle, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has removed National Highway Authority (NHA) Chairman Muhammad Sheheryar Sultan and Member (Administration) Omer Saeed Chaudhry from their posts.
According to notifications issued by the Establishment Division, copies of which are available with Wealth Pakistan, Sheheryar Sultan, a Grade-21 officer of the Pakistan Administrative Service (PAS), has been directed to report to the Establishment Division with immediate effect. Chaudhry, who was serving in the NHA on deputation, has been repatriated to his parent department, the Ministry of Defence.
“Muhammad Sheheryar Sultan, a BS-21 officer of the Pakistan Administrative Service, presently serving as Chief Executive Officer (CEO), NHA, under the Communications Division, is transferred and directed to report to the Establishment Division with immediate effect and until further orders,” the notification reads.
As of filing this report, no replacement has been announced for either position.
Sultan, who hails from the custodial family of the shrine of Sufi saint Sultan Bahu, has a political background — being the son-in-law of former Punjab Governor Shahid Hamid and nephew by marriage of former Law Minister Zahid Hamid. Before his appointment as NHA chairman in July 2024, Sultan had served as Additional Secretary in the Finance Division and as Secretary, Communications and Works Department, Punjab. He succeeded Arshad Majeed Mohmand at the time.
Omer Saeed Chaudhry, a senior officer of the Military Lands and Cantonments Group, had joined the NHA on deputation and was appointed Member (Administration) during Sultan’s tenure. Both officials were reportedly on good terms, with Chaudhry’s appointment said to have been strongly backed by Sultan despite resistance from other quarters.
According to sources, the removal of Sultan also triggered Chaudhry’s repatriation. “Past alignments and administrative decisions appear to have contributed to both officers’ exits,” an official at the Ministry of Communications told Daily Times on condition of anonymity.
Insiders said the Prime Minister was dissatisfied with Sultan’s handling of key operational and administrative affairs within the NHA. The authority has recently faced mounting criticism from parliamentarians and oversight committees over performance shortfalls, project delays, financial irregularities, and maintenance issues on the national road network.
During several parliamentary sessions and standing committee meetings, lawmakers voiced frustration over governance lapses and lack of transparency in the authority’s functioning. The Prime Minister’s Office reportedly took serious note of these concerns, ultimately prompting the decision to remove the top leadership.
The move is widely viewed as part of the government’s effort to overhaul the NHA’s management structure and restore efficiency in one of Pakistan’s most vital infrastructure agencies. Officials expect that a new administrative framework may soon be introduced to strengthen oversight, ensure accountability, and improve delivery of ongoing road development projects nationwide.
