Islamabad:
The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) sent on Tuesday the case of the redesign of the Karakoram road project to the National Responsibility Office (NAB), citing alleged violations of the rules of the Prosecimement Publicement (PPRA) regulatory authority.
During a PAC meeting chaired by Junaid Akbar Khan, audit officials reported serious irregularities in the Karakoram road redesign process. According to the audit, the cost of the project drastically increased from RS4 billion to RS36 billion due to the redesign.
Officials of the Ministry of Water Resources explained that the redesign had become necessary after the launch of the Chinese-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), and that the new road design is aligned with the CPEC standards.
The committee member, Sanaullah Masti Khel, said that although an ordinary road can cost RS1 billion, a CPEC standards meeting of the road meeting could cost RS10 billion. He added that public concerns are justified, resorting to “wherever you look, you find military personnel that coons money.”
Another member of the Committee, Aamir Dogar, said the growing tendency to appoint retired military generals as presidents of the Water and Energy Development Authority (WAPDA). The president of PAC, Junaid Akbar, added that they would continue to see former generals obtaining key positions. The president of the WAPDA, the LT Gen (retd) Sajjad Ghani defended his appointment, saying that it was based on merit. He stressed that he has 45 years of relevant experience and that his selection for the position should not be linked to its military origin.
During the session, Senator Shibli Faraz questioned the president of Wapda about the redesign of the Karakoram road project. “What basis did you change the design?” Who are you to make that decision? Do you think about yourself as God? What kind of ego is this? “The legislator asked abruptly.
The Secretary of Water Resources said that an investigation has been ordered and that they did not request that the audit for auditing be resolved. The president of PAC asked how the project began if there was no land.
President Junaid Akbar Khan commented that each of the WAPDA projects is delayed. “You will not be able to defend this,” he said while the PAC sent the matter to NAB. Khan also informed the members that the committee has recovered more than RS118 billion in just two months. “These figures are not ours, but those of the Pakistan Auditor,” he said.
A report presented by the Water Resources Ministry revealed that almost all the main water projects in Pakistan face delays. Of the seven main projects, not even one has reached 50% completion.
