ISLAMABAD: A parliamentary panel on water resources on Wednesday criticized Wapda for dragging its feet on court disputes, land cases worth trillions of rupees, and the closure of Neelum-Jhelum Hydropower Project, directing urgent accountability and progress reports.
Chaired by Senator Shahadat Awan, the Senate Standing Committee on Water Resources reviewed compliance reports on Wapda audit paras. Awan said some disputes had been pending for 21 years. “The Wapda chairman should call an immediate meeting on all these audit cases. A report on the progress of these cases should be presented to the committee,” he directed.
He said the Wapda was occupying land worth Rs10 billion and faced litigation for Rs298.48 billion, mostly tied to the Mangla Dam. He flagged the “illegal contract” of Sindh’s Nai Gaj Dam worth Rs30 billion, still under NAB investigation. The committee members voiced frustration at the Wapda’s lack of progress. Senator Faisal Rahman remarked: “It seems that the Wapda legal team is not working.”
Wapda Chairman Lt Gen (retd) Muhammad Saeed defended the authority. “I have been in office for only 10 days, yet I have already convened three meetings to address these issues. The authority has many cases for which there is no record, but we are trying to reduce the backlog,” he said and admitted that Wapda records were not digitized but assured that digitization was underway. On Mangla Dam, he clarified: “It is not like the Wapda is occupying the property. Compensation has already been paid to Mangla Dam victims, and now they are pursuing cases in court.”
Officials said six references, including two each of Kachhi Canal and Nai Gaj Dam in Sindh, are under NAB investigations. The Water Ministry distanced itself, with its secretary saying: “These are NAB cases against individuals, not Wapda.” Awan summoned FIA and NAB officials to the next meeting, stressing: “If any government agency has taken responsibility, it is our job to enquire.”
The Senate panel raised alarm over the 969-MW Neelum-Jhelum Plant shut since May 2024 after a tunnel collapse, draining millions and denying cheap power. Awan deferred a briefing until the completion of a prime ministerial inquiry. The committee told Wapda to resolve 2015-16 audit cases with the auditor general and the Law Ministry and report on criminal and PAC cases at the next session.