Islamabad, March 20 2025: During a recent session of the Senate Standing Committee on Economic Affairs, it was disclosed that Pakistan received only $500M as a grant for flood relief from the pledges made at the Geneva Donors Conference.
Majority of Aid in Loans, Not Grants
Special Secretary of the Economic Affairs Division, Humair Karim, informed the committee that out of the $10 billion pledged at the conference, only $500M was provided as a grant for flood relief.
While the rest came in the form of loans. This revelation contradicted earlier claims that Pakistan had secured $10 billion in direct aid.
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Concerns over Solar Panel Distribution in Sindh
The committee also expressed frustration over the lack of transparency in the distribution of 200,000 solar panels in Sindh.
The project, funded by a $100 million loan, faced scrutiny as the Sindh government failed to provide a proper distribution list for flood relief .
Senator Saifullah Abro questioned whether political favoritism was influencing the allocation of solar panels and criticized the reliance on the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) for beneficiary selection.
The Sindh Project Director explained that individuals with zero to 20 points on the BISP index were ineligible, as they lacked Rs. 6,000 in savings.
In response, Senator Abro offered to contribute Rs. 3.6 million to ensure that deserving individuals could receive solar panels directly.
The committee also demanded a copy of the letter sent to BISP and details about the non-governmental organizations (NGOs) involved in the distribution process.
Questions on Flood Rehabilitation in KP and Balochistan
Senator Hidayatullah raised concerns about the allocation of funds for flood rehabilitation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP). The Economic Affairs Division assured that details would be shared in the next meeting.
Meanwhile, Senator Kamil Ali Agha voiced disappointment over the security situation and lack of seriousness in ongoing projects. Senator Abro also criticized the absence of Balochistan representatives in the discussion.
Economic Affairs Division officials stated that specialized departments have been established within the EAD to manage international donor-funded projects efficiently.
