Islamabad, Dec 24: The Senate Standing Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by Senator Saifullah Abro, convened on Tuesday to discuss the progress and challenges in foreign-funded power projects, particularly those under the National Transmission and Despatch Company (NTDC), multilateral and bilateral partners, and UN agencies. The meeting focused on ongoing and completed power sector projects, including their tendering processes, consultants involved, and the status of progress since 2002.
Senator Abro raised serious concerns about delays and lack of accountability in several projects. He highlighted the example of the Tarbela 5th Extension Hydropower (T5HP) project, which has faced defects despite the contract being signed in July 2022. Abro questioned whether the necessary performance guarantees were secured before the agreement was finalized, pointing to concerns over the extended project timeline and lack of finalization.
The committee also reviewed delays in NTDC projects, which have been under development since 2020. Senator Abro emphasized the need for transparency throughout the project execution stages and the importance of improving the procurement process to avoid delays. He noted that a new procurement policy would be approved by April 2025, aimed at addressing issues such as corruption and employee negligence. The committee also requested details of the officials responsible for delays and their accountability.
Another major concern was the Dasu Hydropower Project (HPP), specifically the transmission line project (765kV TL). Senator Abro questioned the timeline for completing the transmission towers, noting discrepancies in the number of completed versus planned towers. He demanded clarity on when the remaining foundations and towers would be finished and asked for a detailed Gantt chart from NTDC to track progress.
The committee raised further concerns about inefficiencies in the bidding process for the Hydropower Project, particularly regarding the handling of bidding documents and delays in addressing issues. Abro called for transparent criteria in hiring consultants and emphasized the need to share all bidding data sheets and tender documents with the committee. The committee also discussed Lot IV of the Dasu HPP Transmission Line project, expressing concerns over malpractice and the exclusion of taxes in the initial bid evaluation. The committee called for action against the officials involved in these discrepancies and recommended that NTDC recover the additional costs from the winning contractor.
In addition to the power sector projects, the committee reviewed delays in projects under the Sindh Provincial Government’s Irrigation and Transport and Mass Transit Departments. The committee recommended both departments to provide detailed briefing materials and called on the Secretary of Economic Affairs to write to the Chief Secretary of Sindh to ensure improved efficiency and accountability in the execution of these projects.
The meeting was attended by Senators Kamran Murtaza, Falak Naz, Kamil Ali Agha, and Haji Hidayatullah Khan, as well as senior officials from the Economic Affairs Division, Power Division, and other relevant departments.
