Contractor Received Rs36 Billion Extra on Gaj Dam Project Despite Less Than 50% Completion, WAPDA Lawyer Tells Court
ISLAMABAD: A lawyer representing the Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) informed the court that the contractor of the Gaj Dam project has received an additional Rs36 billion beyond the project’s original cost of Rs26 billion, despite failing to complete even 50 percent of the work.
The disclosure was made during a hearing of a case concerning delays in the construction of the New Gaj Dam before a two-member bench of the Federal Constitutional Court headed by Chief Justice Amin-ud-Din Khan. The court adjourned further proceedings until June 11 and directed Additional Attorney General Amir Rehman to present arguments at the next hearing.
During the proceedings, lawyers for both WAPDA and the contractor completed their arguments.
WAPDA’s counsel told the court that the project was initially approved at a cost of Rs26 billion. However, the contractor had already received an additional Rs36 billion on top of the original amount. He argued that despite these extra payments, less than half of the project had been completed.
The lawyer further stated that the Sindh High Court had also set a timeline for the contractor to complete the project, but the deadline was not met.
Meanwhile, contractor’s counsel Masood Khan argued that the Supreme Court had been informed in 2019 that 50 percent of the project work had already been completed. He told the court that a Supreme Court judgment had also noted that the primary reason for delays was the lack of funding.
According to the contractor’s lawyer, the federal and provincial governments failed to provide the required funds, which adversely affected the pace of construction. He further stated that work on the project has remained suspended since 2024 due to non-availability of funds.
The court was informed that the Gaj Dam project was launched in 2011 with an estimated cost of Rs26 billion.
After hearing the arguments, the court adjourned the case until June 11 for further proceedings.
