MPs question sudden closure of PWD

Demand answers on halted development projects

ISLAMABAD:

Some members of a parliamentary committee have expressed their concern over the sudden closure of the Pakistan Public Works Department (PWD), wondering as to how the ongoing projects in their constituencies will now complete.

A meeting of the National Assembly Standing Committee on Planning and Special Initiatives was held on Friday with PPP's Abdul Qadir Gilani in the chair.

During the meeting Naz Baloch of the PPP questioned why the PWD was suddenly shut down and where the funds allocated for Sindh's MNAs had gone. She demanded a clear status update, stating, "Our development projects were halted, and people are asking where the funds went."

She also asked about last year's development funds, stating that it took a year to transfer funds to the provinces under the Prime Minister's Scheme. "The February 8, 2024 elections came, and the funds were put on hold. By the time the funds reached the provinces, tenders had been issued three times."

Senior Joint Secretary Ashfaq Ghuman clarified that no delays occurred under the PWD.

"The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) had halted the projects and funds ahead of the polls," Ghuman said, adding that the PWD had instructed all relevant institutions to resume work as soon as funds were released.

The committee was told that projects under the PDW were being handed over to the provinces, and the government would decide on the department's employees later. For Sindh, Rs9.2 billion was allocated for 1,124 projects, and 60% of the funds had been utilized.

In another part of the meeting, the secretary of housing briefed the MNAs on ongoing projects under PWD. Committee member Muhammad Usman inquired, "The government has completed half of the work on these projects, but if PWD is being shut down, who will finish them?"

The secretary explained that his ministry only allocates funds, and Rs61b had been provided by the Cabinet Division in July, but Rs29b was still pending.

He said that the Ministry of Finance had cut funds for the Public Sector Development Program (PSDP) in July. The secretary further indicated that an additional cut might be imposed on the Rs75 billion allocated for MNAs' schemes under the PSDP, mainly due to constraints imposed by the IMF.

MNA Agha Rafiullah said Roche, a private organization, is providing 73% funding for a project related to cancer and giving free medication for the patients while the government of Pakistan is covering the remaining 27%. Rafiullah expressed concern over the rising number of cancer patients.