ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly Standing Committee on Water Resources on Tuesday again deferred consideration of the WAPDA Security Force Bill, 2026, amid differences between the government and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), while constituting a four-member subcommittee to investigate prolonged delays in the K-IV water supply project for Karachi despite huge expenditure.
The committee, headed by Ahmad Ateeq Anwar, also sought a detailed report within one week regarding alleged water theft from the Kachhi Canal, directing concerned authorities to explain whether the issue had been reported to relevant departments and what action had been taken.
According to an official statement, the committee was informed that the WAPDA Act, 1958, presently contains no statutory provisions relating to the establishment, jurisdiction, powers or functions of a security setup.
After discussion, the committee decided to defer consideration of the WAPDA Security Force Bill, 2026, until its next meeting.
The committee also appointed a four-member subcommittee under the convenorship of Muhammad Idrees to investigate the non-completion of the K-IV project despite substantial expenditure incurred.
During deliberations, members expressed concern over prolonged delays in the K-IV water supply project, which has remained pending for approximately two decades.
Chairman Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) informed the committee that the revised PC-I of the project envisages an estimated cost of Rs171 billion.
The project director K-IV told the committee that the first phase, covering 64 kilometres, would be completed during the current year.
However, committee member Javed Hanif Khan observed that the project was still facing a delay of around 20 years, questioning the continued inability of authorities to complete it despite substantial expenditure.
The Chairman WAPDA acknowledged that completion of construction would not automatically make the project operational, explaining that approximately 50 megawatts of electricity would be required to make it functional.
He said WAPDA had prepared the project PC-I in accordance with government directions, while Additional Secretary Ministry of Water Resources stated that federal funding for the project was a political decision.
The committee decided to investigate the reasons behind the prolonged delay, expenditure incurred and implementation issues through the newly constituted subcommittee.
The issue of water supply to Dera Bugti areas of Balochistan and alleged water theft from the Kachhi Canal also came under discussion.
Mian Khan Bugti maintained that the people of Balochistan had been assured water through the Kachhi Canal, arguing that the canal represented the province’s legitimate right.
He alleged that water was being withdrawn from the canal in certain areas of Punjab, depriving the intended beneficiaries in Balochistan of their share.
The Chairman WAPDA responded that water was being withdrawn from canals across the country and that provincial governments needed to formulate effective strategies to prevent water theft.
Secretary Irrigation informed the committee that individuals involved in unauthorised water withdrawals frequently approached courts, creating difficulties for authorities in controlling the practice.
He also stated that the Kachhi Canal had not yet been formally handed over to the Irrigation Department.
The committee directed concerned authorities to clarify whether the alleged water theft had been reported to relevant departments and whether any action had been taken to address the matter.
It further directed that a detailed report regarding the status of the issue and action taken be submitted within one week.
The committee also discussed Pakistan’s declining water-storage capacity.
Chairman WAPDA stated that the World Bank had recommended approximately 52 years ago that Pakistan should increase water storage in line with population growth, suggesting development of an additional two million acre-feet of storage every ten years.
He observed that Pakistan had failed to develop even a single additional water-storage facility during the past 52 years, while its storage capacity had declined from approximately 23 million acre-feet to 13 million acre-feet.
He lamented that the country had moved towards reducing water-storage capacity instead of expanding it to meet growing requirements.
The meeting was attended by Muhammad Idrees, Mian Khan Bugti, Mir Munawar Ali Talpur, Waseem Qadir, Saba Talpur, Zulfiqar Ali Behan, Syed Javed Ali Shah Jillani, Amin-ul-Haque, Federal Minister for Water Resources Mian Muhammad Mueen Wattoo and Rana Ansar, besides officials of the Ministry of Water Resources.
The WAPDA Security Force Bill, 2026, will be taken up at the next meeting of the committee.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026