The commission, headed by a retired judge, will determine those responsible for serious negligence, mismanagement or criminal acts by August 20.
ISLAMABAD: Minister for Planning Ahsan Iqbal has said that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has formed an inquiry commission to take legal and financial action against those responsible for the subsidence of the tunnel of the Rs500 billion Neelum-Jhelum Hydropower Project.
Addressing a press conference, Ahsan Iqbal said that based on the reports of two committees, the Prime Minister has formed an inquiry commission headed by a retired judge to take legal action against those responsible for the subsidence of the project’s tunnel.
According to the powers, the commission will recommend legal, administrative and financial action against the responsible parties. The notification said that the commission will determine serious negligence, procedural misconduct or possible criminal liability.
Ahsan Iqbal called the failure of the Neelum-Jhelum project a “costly and significant mistake”. The project has been closed since May last year. A few months ago, WAPDA had suggested to the government that either the tunnel should be rebuilt at an estimated cost of Rs250-300 billion or repaired at a cost of around Rs20 billion.
In May this year, the federal cabinet approved the establishment of a commission of inquiry to investigate the Neelum-Jhelum Hydropower Project under the Pakistan Commission of Inquiry Act 2017. According to the notification, Justice (retd) Tariq Abbasi is the chairman of the inquiry commission and has been given time till August 20 to finalize its report.
Ahsan Iqbal also spoke about the economic situation and the achievements of this government in the last one year. He said that the government has successfully reduced inflation to an average of 4.5 percent, the lowest rate since 2016.
He added that effective fiscal consolidation and external sector stability are reflecting Pakistan’s better-than-expected recovery pace. He said that after bringing political and economic stability and making constitutional changes through the 26th Amendment, investor confidence has been restored.
The government’s strategic focus on high-impact, comprehensive and export-oriented projects under the PSDP is aligned with the priorities of “Udan Pakistan.” “Udan Pakistan” emphasizes exports, digitalization, green growth, energy security and social equity.
