The Senate Standing Committee on Economic Affairs has sought investigations by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) and the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) into alleged irregularities involving Rs. 1.282 billion in the 765kV Dasu Islamabad Transmission Line Project.
The committee, chaired by Senator Saifullah Abro, examined the foreign-funded project along with another power sector project during a meeting on Monday. Representatives from the Economic Affairs Division, Power Division, National Grid Company, NESPAK and other stakeholders attended the proceedings.
According to the committee, the Rs. 1.282 billion amount in Lot IV of the Dasu Islamabad Transmission Line Project related to taxes and duties that were expressly excluded from bid evaluation but were later incorporated into the price awarded to M/s NWEPDI TBEA JV. The committee said the bidding documents clearly stated that these taxes and duties would not be included in the bid evaluation.
The committee alleged that officials in the Power Division, the National Grid Company and its Board of Directors were reluctant to correct the issue and took advantage of the difference between the awarded price and the price offered by the second lowest bidder. It said the alleged irregularity caused a significant loss to the national exchequer.
The committee also raised concerns over attempts to conceal the matter during Departmental Accounts Committee proceedings. It said officials appearing before the Senate panel were unaware of the actual facts and figures related to the project, prompting the committee to call for an independent investigation into whether laws, procurement rules, bidding conditions or contractual provisions had been violated.
The Senate panel also flagged alleged irregularities in ADB 401B 2022 Lot II A involving ACSR Bunting Conductor. It questioned the bid evaluation and qualification process and said officials from the Power Division, National Grid Company and NESPAK awarded the contract to the third lowest bidder, M/s Newage Cables Pvt. Ltd., Lahore.
The committee described the procurement process as manipulated and estimated the resulting loss to the national exchequer at approximately Rs. 600 million.
The committee expressed dissatisfaction with what it described as continued noncompliance by the Economic Affairs Division and Power Division with its recommendations.
It said stronger oversight, transparency and accountability were needed in foreign funded development projects to protect public resources, maintain the integrity of Pakistan’s power sector and preserve the confidence of international development partners.
The post Rs. 1.28 Billion Added to Dasu Electricity Project Secretly appeared first on ProPakistani.
