Islamabad, February 12, 2026: The Senate Standing Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by Senator Saifullah Abro, convened to review ongoing development projects, financial compliance, and transparency in foreign-funded initiatives, with particular focus on the World Bank-supported Sindh Water and Agriculture Transformation (SWAT) Project.
Officials from the Irrigation Department, Government of Sindh, along with the Project Director of SWAT, briefed the Committee on the rehabilitation and improvement of the Akram Wah Canal. The briefing covered the prequalification process for consultants and contractors, the tendering procedure, bidding details, project progress, and the implementation status of the Committee’s earlier recommendations.
The Project Director informed the Committee that discussions with the World Bank regarding contractor prequalification are ongoing and that the department is awaiting a response while remaining committed to timely coordination. Authorities noted that the World Bank maintains strict transparency mechanisms and that the project is currently at the prequalification stage.
However, when the Committee sought details regarding the consultant’s hiring process, including lists of technically qualified and disqualified firms, the department failed to provide satisfactory information. Officials assured members that the required details would be submitted before the next meeting.
Chairman Senator Abro observed that Pakistan is already burdened with substantial loans that must ultimately be repaid by the public, stressing that all related contracts must be fully transparent. He directed authorities to upload all relevant documents on the official SWAT website to facilitate public scrutiny. He also questioned the consultancy firm’s performance, noting that its failure to review the project design even after 20 months raised serious concerns about its eligibility.
Responding to a query by Senator Syed Waqar Mehdi, the Secretary of the Economic Affairs Division (EAD) briefed the Committee on the monitoring framework for foreign-funded projects, emphasizing the Ministry’s responsibility to ensure transparent utilization of funds. Members highlighted the need for strict oversight of loan disbursements, particularly given the country’s fiscal constraints, and expressed concern over instances where funds are not utilized properly.
The Committee also reviewed ongoing and upcoming projects undertaken by the Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in partnership with multilateral and bilateral donors as well as UN agencies. The Secretary of the province’s Planning and Development Department informed members that 52 schemes are currently underway at an estimated cost of Rs. 1,072.3 billion. Of these, 23 projects are financed by the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank, primarily targeting education, municipal services, agriculture, roads, tourism, health, finance, and energy sectors.
Seeking updates on road sector initiatives in the province, the Chairman underscored the need for complete transparency in prequalification and tendering processes, particularly in light of complaints alleging irregularities. He called for strict action against those responsible and directed that earlier Committee recommendations be implemented without delay. The department was further instructed to submit a one-page brief on all ongoing projects.
The Committee also expressed serious concern over delays in recovering an embezzled amount of Rs. 5 billion linked to the Sindh Solar Energy Project. Members recalled that the Government of Sindh had previously acknowledged significant misappropriations and irregularities. The Chairman directed the EAD to urgently pursue the matter, recover the funds, and ensure their deposit into the national exchequer. The Division assured the Committee that it would take up the issue with the provincial government and initiate appropriate action against officials found responsible.
The meeting was attended by Senators Syed Waqar Mehdi, Haji Hidayatullah Khan, Rana Mahmood-ul-Hassan, Kamran Murtaza, and Rubina Khalid.
