Federal government demands release of dams funds from Supreme Court
Pakistan
Rs 20 billion was deposited in dams funds.
ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) - The federal government has demanded release of dams funds from the Supreme Court (SC). A four-member bench headed by CJP Qazi Faez Isa heard the Diamer-Bhasha and Mohmand dams funds case today.
Additional Attorney General Amir Rehman informed the court that a miscellaneous application had been filed and dams funds must be handed over to the federal government and Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA).
Amir Rehman said that the funds were deposited in the account opened in the State Bank in the supervision of the SC
CJP inquired about the amount of funds collected for dams. Wapda counsel Saad Rasool informed the court that Rs 20 billion was deposited in dams funds.
CJP inquired how this case was started. WAPDA counsel responded that the SC took the suo-motu in 2018 during proceedings of cases under Wapda and apex court’s dams funds implementation bench conducted 17 hearings.
CJP inquired that “does the SC supervise every project of wapda?”
Wapda counsel told the court about conflicts between private parties on the construction of dams matter.
The SC itself fixed the cases of private parties’ disputes for hearing instead of transferring it to relevant courts.
Wapda counsel requested to proceed the private parties’ disputes matter on relevant court forums.
The SC issued notice to the Auditor General of Pakistan on the matter of granting funds to the federal government.
The SC ordered the appearance of the Auditor general of Pakistan or authorized officer in the next hearing and provide assistance on the matter of provision of dams funds.
Former attorney generals, Khalid Javed and Anwar Mansoor had been summoned.
The apex court had also summoned judicial assistant Makhdoom Ali Khan on the next hearing for assistance on matters pertaining to the dams construction and implementation bench.
The Supreme Court had adjourned case hearing for three weeks issuing notices to other respondents in the case.
Earlier today, the court adjourned the case hearing for break seeking relevant records of the case.
DAMS FUNDS
Keeping in view the need to construct dams and reservoirs in Pakistan, then CJP Saqib Nisar created Supreme Court of Pakistan – Diamer Bhasha and Mohmand Dams – Fund .
The fund was established on July 4, 2018 with an ambition to eradicate water crisis from the country.
Both the dams are quite pertinent as they would fulfil multiple purposes. Moreover they will be required to be constructed at the earliest as water worth billions of dollars is wasted on annual basis.
According to officials, the total cost of Diamer-Bhasha Dam is around Rs1450 billion. From this amount, Rs650 billion will be used for the construction of reservoir. On the other side, cost of Mohmand dam is Rs300 billion.
Also read: Diamer Bhasha and Mohmand Dams Fund - Who is contributing what?
