Islamabad, (Parliament Times) : The Senate Standing Committee on Water Resources, chaired by Senator Shahadat Awan, convened today to review pressing issues related to water sector governance and accountability. The meeting focused on the delay in the implementation of committee recommendations and the failure to act on critical audit reports, including a Rs 29.41 billion loss suffered by the Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA).
Expressing strong dissatisfaction over the lack of follow-up actions, Senator Awan emphasized that if the Ministry of Water Resources continues to neglect the committee’s instructions, the matter would be escalated to the House. “We expect timely and accurate compliance reports with documentary evidence. If our recommendations are not implemented, we will have no choice but to take this matter to the House,” Awan stated.
In a serious exchange at the outset of a meeting, the Chair of the Senate Standing Committee on Water Resources expressed deep concern over the unexplained delay in the notification of Senator Saadia Abbasi’s nomination as a member of the Board of Governors of the Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources (PCRWR). Despite multiple reminders issued following her nomination by the Chairman of the Senate on July 23, 2024, the notification had yet to be processed.
The Senate Standing Committee on Water Resources had previously ratified Senator Abbasi’s appointment under sub-Rule (6) of Rule 166 of the Senate’s Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business, 2012, during its meeting on August 2, 2024. However, despite the committee’s endorsement, the delay persisted, prompting pointed questions from the Chair.
During the meeting, committee members emphasized the urgency of issuing the notification immediately during working hours. Furthermore, they demanded an explanation for the protracted delay in compliance with the Senate’s decision. The Chair warned that if a satisfactory justification was not provided, the matter would be escalated to the Senate’s Privilege Committee to examine why the committee’s recommendation had not been executed.
The committee raised serious concerns over the absence of the Chairman WAPDA at the meeting. “The Chairman WAPDA could only brief us with the permission of the Secretary for Water Resources, but we must know why he was not present today,” said a member of the committee.
A focal point of the discussion was the unaddressed Rs 29.41 billion loss reported in the auditor general’s report about WAPDA, which remains unexplained despite repeated inquiries. Senator Awan called for accountability: “Authorities must explain why WAPDA incurred such a significant loss, and why no inquiry has been initiated.”
Further, committee member Senator Sadia Abbasi criticized the Ministry for failing to properly address the Auditor General’s annual audit reports, asserting that the department’s responses to these reports were insufficient. “The Auditor General’s role is to highlight discrepancies, not to conduct an inquiry. The inquiry should follow the procedures outlined by the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) or the Departmental Accounts Committee (DAC),” Senator Abbasi pointed out.
The Ministry of Water Resources, however, defended its stance, stating that the audit report of the auditor general for the year 2022-23 was not binding. “An inquiry cannot be initiated solely based on the Auditor General’s report. Only the DAC or PAC can direct further investigations,” said the Secretary of the Ministry.
Senator Awan firmly rejected the Ministry’s position, insisting that the committee required answers. “How many inquiries have been initiated against the discrepencies so far, and what were the outcomes?” he demanded.
The committee decided to listen to the WAPDA Chairman in the next meeting, where he would be required to present a full briefing on the audit report and its findings. Senator Awan instructed the Ministry to present a report on the DAC inquiry within 15 days and the PAC inquiry report within an additional week.
The committee’s tough stance underscores its commitment to ensuring transparency and accountability within Pakistan’s water sector. With significant financial losses under scrutiny, the committee has called for immediate action to prevent further mismanagement of public funds. The matter will be closely followed as further developments unfold.
The meeting was attended by Senators Faisal Saleem Rehman, Poonjo Bheel, and Saadia Abbasi, along with representatives from the Ministry of Water Resources, Water and Power Development Authority, Federal Flood Commission , Capital Development Authority, Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources, and other affiliated departments.