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ISLAMABAD:
The Senate Standing Committee on Economic Affairs has demanded complete details on delays, expenditures and the current status of the Sindh Barrages Improvement Project, as lawmakers questioned funding decisions, project transfers and years-long administrative lapses.
The committee met on Wednesday with Senator Saifullah Abro in the chair. Officials from the Economic Affairs Division (EAD) briefed members on funds allocated for Multan’s heritage restoration, stating that Rs8,276 million had been earmarked, with Rs850 million released in 2011.
Senator Rubina Khalid questioned how a federal project had been transferred to the province, asking whether the committee’s terms of reference permitted such a decision without federal cabinet approval.
EAD officials responded that a management committee had ordered the transfer, prompting Senator Kamran Murtaza to ask as to who had authorised the body to take decisions of that scale. Senator Abro sought details of sites selected in 2011 and demanded the feasibility report.
The project director said they held an implementation report for the second phase worth Rs251 million. Senator Abro insisted he required the feasibility for the Rs850 million allocation, not later documents focused on subsequent phases.
Officials told the committee that a consultancy contract worth Rs111 million had been awarded for the restoration project. The consultancy was assigned to a company, and lawmakers questioned whether the work had been granted on a percentage basis.
EAD officials added that differences existed between the original and revised PC-I documents. They confirmed that heritage restoration funds had been diverted, with half used for a burn centre and the remainder spent on another Multan project, raising further concerns.
