Senate panel flags Dasu discrepancies

The Senate Standing Committee on Economic Affairs has expressed strong displeasure over discrepancies and inaccuracies in documents submitted by the Ministry of Economic Affairs, while also reviewing the progress of the Dasu and Mohmand hydropower projects.

The committee met on Thursday under the chairmanship of Senator Saifullah Abro and conducted a detailed examination of both strategic energy projects.

The committee voiced serious concerns over errors in documents provided by the Ministry of Economic Affairs.

Abro pointed out that ministry documents listed the signing date of the Dasu project as 2023, whereas officials had informed the committee during the briefing that the project had commenced in 2017.

The Wapda officials informed the committee that Dasu Hydropower project's approved cost under PC-I stands at Rs1.737 trillion. Once completed, it is expected to generate a total of 5,400 megawatts of electricity, making it the country's largest power-generating unit.

According to Wapda officials, the first phase includes the installation of 12 generating units with a combined capacity of 4,300 megawatts. An additional three units will be installed in the second phase, with each unit producing 360 megawatts of electricity. Work on the associated 765-kv transmission line is also underway.

The officials stated that external financing had been secured for the project and that all required funding is currently available. The committee was informed that physical progress on the project has reached 30 per cent, while completion is targeted for November 2028 under the approved PC-I schedule.

Senator Waqar Mehdi, however, expressed skepticism over the timeline, saying it did not appear likely that the project would be completed within the stipulated period. In response, Wapda officials acknowledged that the project had suffered delays due to two unfortunate incidents.

Senator Rubina Khalid criticised what she stated as poor coordination among government departments, remarking that every officer appeared to be operating independently.

"In my own institution, officers sitting in adjacent rooms prefer sending emails rather than speaking directly to one another," she said.

She proposed the establishment of clear timelines for official work and recommended that officers who fail to complete assignments on time should face suspension.