Nai Gaj Dam: SC directs Wapda to make new PC-1 in 15 days

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court (SC) on Friday directed the Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) to prepare a new PC-1 for the construction of Nai Gaj Dam within 15 days.

A three-judge bench, headed by Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar, heard the case regarding the construction of dam. The Nai Gaj Dam is an embankment dam currently under construction on the Gaj River in the gorge area at the edge of Kirthar Mountains range about 65-km northwest of Dadu city in Sindh.

During the course of proceedings, the chief justice observed that the court could not let Rs16 billion already spent on the project go waste. The Wapda officials requested for one month for preparing the new PC-1. The chief justice did not accept their request and granted 15 days with the directive that Wapda representatives should not appear before the bench without the new PC-1.

During the previous hearing, the CJP had observed that if the dam was not built within the given time-frame, the parties concerned would be held responsible. The additional attorney general informed the top court the PC-1 of the dam would be revised and a new contractor would be hired for the construction.

The CJP remarked that projects were started for ‘kickbacks’ and later abandoned on the plea that same were not needed. He also observed that no one from the Sindh government had filed against them in line with the apex court’s July 28, 2017 order and awarded them imprisonment and heavy financial penalties.

In the verdict on Avenfield Apartments reference announced by Judge Muhammad Bashir, the court sentenced Nawaz Sharif to 10 years imprisonment, his daughter Maryam to seven years imprisonment and son-in-law Captain (R) Muhammad Safdar to one year imprisonment.

The accused were also disqualified to contest election or to hold public office for a period of 10 years to be reckoned from the date they are released after serving the sentence and they shall not be allowed to apply for or to be granted or allowed any financial facilities in the form of a loan for a period of 10 years from the date of their conviction within the meaning of Section 15 of NAO 1999.