Sindh govt initiates probe into World Bank-funded solar energy project
ISLAMABAD: The Sindh Government admitted a huge amount of misappropriations and irregularities in the USD100 million World Bank-funded Sindh Solar Energy Project (SSEP) and also initiated an inquiry against the culprits.
A senior official of the Sindh Government said this at a meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Economic Affairs, which was held here on Tuesday with Senator Saifullah Abro in the chair.
The panel was told that, on the directions of the Sindh Cabinet, the Anti-Corruption Establishment is conducting a thorough inquiry, including a forensic audit. The chairman of the committee said that he was amazed when he found out that the Rs 20,000 solar panel was being provided at the cost of Rs 60,000.
He lamented the fact that the Rs 27 billion project meant to provide relief to poor people of the province, marred by corruption and embezzlement.
He said alone in Larkana, as per the list, seven to eight solar panels were provided to a single family.
However, the committee appreciated the initiatives of the Chief Minister of Sindh for taking prompt action against the NGOs providing these panels and urged provincial authorities to extend full support to him.
The chairman directed the submission of details of tax amounts paid to the contractor for this project within two days and ensured the presence of the Provincial Secretary, Planning and Development, in the next meeting.
The committee also reviewed the implementation status of its previous recommendations and examined the progress of ongoing power sector projects financed by multilateral agencies. These included the Dasu–Islamabad Transmission Line Project, the ADB-financed ACSR Bunting Conductor issue (Lot-II), irrigation and communication projects in Balochistan.
The committee expressed serious concerns regarding the non-recovery of Rs 1.282 billion paid to a contractor as sales tax for the 765kV Dasu–Islamabad Transmis-sion Line Grid Station at Islamabad West (Lot-IV).
While the Power Division informed the committee that an audit had termed the payment a procedural irregularity and recommended settlement, the committee questioned the audit’s authority to override the recommendations of the committee.
Highlighting gross negligence, the chairman directed the Secretary Economic Affairs Division (EAD) to write to the prime minister along with the committee’s findings and recommendations.
He also directed the concerned authorities to implement the committee’s recommendation of referring the matter to the Public Accounts Committee so that the amount can be recovered. He further recommended that the Auditor General of Pakistan take strict action against the audit officers involved and directed the Power Division to ensure recovery of the amount as previously recommended by the committee.
Reviewing the progress of the Dasu–Islamabad Transmission Line Project, the Committee expressed concern over delays and was informed that the No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the Provincial Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was still pending.
Referring to the Land Acquisition Act, the chairman underscored the estimated daily loss of approximately Rs 2 billion due to the absence of a transmission network once the Dasu Dam becomes operational.
The Committee directed that concerned authorities from KP be invited to the next meeting to resolve right-of-way issues and instructed that tower erection work commence on available sites to avoid cost escalation and ensure timely completion.
While reviewing ongoing and proposed projects in Balochistan, the Committee expressed concern over prolonged delays in projects funded through multilateral, bilateral, and UN assistance.
On the recommendation of members, the agenda was deferred, and EAD was directed to take up the matter during the committee’s meeting in Balochistan for more effective deliberation.
The meeting was attended by Senator Haji Hidayatullah Khan, Senator Syed Waqar Mehdi, Senator Falak Naz, Senator Rubina Khalid, Senator Kamran Murtaza, and Senator Kamil Ali Agha.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025