Mangi Dam Cost Escalates to PKR 19 Billion; PAC Chairman Warns of NAB Referral if Records Not Provided

Quetta (Daily Qudrat) – The Public Accounts Committee (PAC), chaired by Asghar Ali Trin, held a crucial meeting to review public health engineering development projects, audit reports, financial irregularities, and ongoing schemes. Officials from various departments, secretaries, and audit authorities attended the session.

During the meeting, it was revealed that the Mangi Dam, originally scheduled for completion by June 2022, remains incomplete. The dam was expected to supply 8 million gallons of water daily, while Quetta city’s daily requirement is 60 million gallons, largely met through underground resources.

The audit report stated the original project cost was PKR 9.334 billion, later revised to PKR 13.248 billion, reflecting a 42% increase. By 2025, the cost is projected to reach approximately PKR 19.8 billion. The committee expressed strong displeasure over delays, poor planning, and flawed design. The Secretary of Public Health Engineering assured that the project would be completed by March 31, 2026, with the committee granting a final extension under strict supervision.

The audit also highlighted that between 2019 and 2022, various PHE divisions made excessive payments for solar systems and other materials, causing a loss of PKR 64.131 million to the public treasury. Officials ignored engineering standards and included unnecessary wattage in solar systems. The committee directed immediate recovery of excess payments and registration of FIRs in cases of stolen government solar equipment.

Furthermore, the audit revealed that the Gwadar and Lasbela divisions spent PKR 975.816 million on water tanker services in 2018-19, with no delivery schedules, proper records, or MB entries available. The committee warned that failure to provide complete records in the next meeting will result in referring the matter to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).

PAC emphasized that all project records must be submitted to the Auditor General within 10 days, recoveries must be completed promptly, and responsible officials must face action. The committee also reviewed compliance reports and audit paras from the transport department, instructing the Director of Anti-Corruption to attend the next session.