The Balochistan Assembly’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has voiced serious concerns regarding the sluggish progress on development projects initiated under the Quetta Development Package, which were launched years ago. During a meeting held on Thursday, the committee warned that if the Planning and Development (P&D) department fails to submit a report addressing the delays, the matter will be referred to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) for further investigation.
The committee, presided over by Chairman Asghar Ali Tareen, examined the status of various projects within the package and noted that despite a significant passage of time, many of these projects remain incomplete. Key members attending the meeting included Zamarak Khan Achakzai, Sardar Abdul Rahman Khetran, Tahir Shah Kakar, Shuja Ali, Hafiz Abdul Basit, Siraj Lehri, Syed Ahmed, Syed Muhammad Idris, and Rafiq Ahmed.
The committee expressed frustration over the frequent changes in contracting firms during project execution, with members demanding explanations for these alterations. Chairman Tareen also raised concerns about a project that had been stalled for seven years, emphasizing the need for accountability.
Further anger was expressed over the absence of a representative from the Finance Department, prompting Chairman Tareen to announce his intention to file a privilege motion in the provincial assembly regarding the official’s non-attendance.
The meeting also reviewed the 2022-23 audit report from the Planning and Development department. According to the audit report, a contract with Nespak was signed on June 15, 2017, for the Quetta Development Programme, for which Rs286.78 million had been paid. However, the contract was terminated due to flaws in the design, and the committee noted that the amount paid to Nespak had not been recovered, which constitutes a violation of the contract.
With seven years having passed since the initiation of this project, the committee is demanding that the P&D department conduct an investigation and present a report to the PAC. If no satisfactory response is received, the PAC has vowed to refer the case to NAB for further scrutiny.
Chairman Tareen urged the Chief Minister to take a personal interest in the timely completion of the projects under the Quetta Development Package and called on the Finance Department to release the necessary funds to ensure that these projects are completed on schedule.
