ISLAMABAD: On Thursday, the National Assembly Standing Committee on Planning was informed that the rupee’s depreciation had increased the cost of the Diamer-Bhasha project by 31.5 percent.
Wapda officials told the standing committee meeting, which was led by MNA Junaid Akbar, that a contract worth Rs442 billion had been awarded, up from Rs336 billion at the time of the first PC-1. “The dollar was at Rs105 when the PC-1 was built,” they claimed.
They did say, however, that the dam’s amended PC-1 will be formulated in March.
Opposition MPs also brought up the issue of development money. They stated that they would not be receiving any.
“Opposition members do not receive cash for any of the projects,” stated PPP’s Agha Rafiullah.
He claimed that the ventures were started by “losers.”
Sher Akbar Khan, a committee member, stated that opposition members of the Sindh Assembly did not receive funds.
“Funds are not distributed in the federation, and they are not given in Sindh,” Rafiullah remarked.
The committee chairman asked Agha Rafiullah of the opposition to start a privilege movement in the house, and they promised to back him up.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Railways held a briefing on the ML-1 project.
Officials from the Railways told the committee that package one of the ML-1 project will be finished in five years and will cost more than Rs2 billion. The plan was approved on August 5, 2020, according to railway officials.
Sheikh Rashid Ahmed, according to MNA Rafiullah, misled the country on ML-1 by claiming that the project will begin shortly.
“The project will be designed by the firm that will be recruited,” they stated.
Junaid Anwar, a committee member, inquired if the Ministry of Railways lacked skilled engineers.
“Railway engineers can currently run a passenger train at 120 kilometres per hour, but they can increase the speed restriction to 160 kilometres per hour.”
Officials from the Ministry of Railways claimed that the primary plan for the ML-1 project is to borrow money from China, with the second plan including borrowing money from Kazakhstan and Russia.
Other countries should be included in the first plan, according to MNA Anwar.
“Only the Chinese companies named in the project’s framework agreement would be eligible to bid,” they stated.
The committee voiced concern about the ML-1 project’s lack of development.
