Latest news with #NESPAK
Business Recorder
2 days ago
- Business
- Business Recorder
NJHP tunnel collapse costs Rs35bn: Nespak
ISLAMABAD: The National Engineering Services Pakistan (Nespak) on Friday revealed that one tunnel of Neelum-Jhelum Hydroelectric Project collapsed, causing physical damage of around Rs35 billion, besides over Rs100 billion losses due to non-power generation. This was revealed before the Senate Standing Committee on Cabinet Secretariat, which was chaired by Rana Mahmood ul Hassan, here on Friday. Nespak officials informed the committee a tunnel of the Neelum-Jhelum project has collapsed. Three committees have been formed to inquire into the matter, said Nespak officials, adding that physical damage of Rs35 billion occurred. Further a loss of over Rs100 billion resulted due to lack of electricity generation. The location where the tunnel is located is 5.5 km below, said the officials, adding that it was being examined that whether the fault lies with the project consultants or the geological conditions of the site. A briefing was also given by the managing director Nespak on the organisation's performance over the past three years. The committee was apprised that Nespak has successfully undertaken 4,822 projects both domestically and internationally. Of these, 595 projects were completed internationally in 40 countries, including Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Bahrain, Benin, Cameroon, Chad, Comoros Islands, Dominica, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Libya, Nepal, Nigeria, Oman, Qatar, Yemen, Papua New Guinea, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Türkiye, Turkmenistan, UAE, Uganda, and Uzbekistan. Non-availability of NJHP project: Consumers overpaid Rs167.787bn for costly power NESPAK has also entered into joint ventures with renowned foreign and local firms on a project-to-project and long-term basis, which have proven beneficial to all stakeholders involved. The matter was deferred. The committee directed a list of NESPAK's ongoing projects for review in the next session. The committee also considered The Cannabis Control and Regulatory Authority (Amendment) Bill, 2025, introduced by Senator Dr Afnanullah Khan. He explained that the bill seeks to allocate one per cent of the authority's annual fund to corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives. These may include the establishment of rehabilitation centres for drug addicts, skill development and employment generation, poverty alleviation, and efforts to promote gender equality and empower women. It was also presented that the authority shall ensure transparency and accountability in the use of CSR funds, per the rules and regulations to be formulated under the Act. After a thorough discussion, the committee decided to defer the bill. The committee directed the Cannabis Authority to submit its recommendations on the proposed amendments after placing them before its board. The committee then took up Starred Question No 27, raised by Senator Shahadat Awan in the Senate session held on July 25, concerning the criteria adopted by the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority for enforcing roll-out obligations in the absence of a formal regulation or framework regarding right-of-way. After deliberation, the committee decided to defer the matter and invite the Ministry of Information Technology to the next meeting for a comprehensive briefing on the policy framework currently in place. The remaining agenda items were deferred due to the absence of members. The session was attended by senators, Farooq Hamid Naek, Fawzia Arshad, Dr Afnanullah Khan, and Shahadat Awan. As well as special invitees, senators, Bilal Khan Mandokhel and Sardar Al Haj Muhammad Umer Gorgaij. The committee took up key legislative and oversight matters concerning regulatory frameworks, national development initiatives, and institutional performance. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Business Recorder
18-07-2025
- Business
- Business Recorder
NESPAK completes first large-scale geo-tagging of urban trees
LAHORE: NESPAK, Pakistan's premier engineering consultancy, has achieved a landmark milestone by completing the geo-tagging of trees across a 22.5-kilometer stretch of Lahore Canal — the first large-scale digital mapping of urban green cover ever undertaken in the country, it was stated by Zargham Eshaq Khan, Managing Director NESPAK, here on Thursday. The effort is a part of the upcoming Lahore Yellow Line Project being launched by Government of the Punjab. The initiative involved the precise identification of each tree using GPS-enabled surveying equipment, with coordinates and tree-specific metadata integrated into a centralized GIS database. This structured dataset enables spatial analysis, supports condition monitoring, and provides a critical decision-making tool for authorities, urban foresters, and environmental planners. Strategically located, the Lahore Canal green belt functions as one of Lahore's primary ecological corridors — mitigating air pollution, regulating microclimate, and enhancing urban biodiversity. NESPAK's intervention equips this corridor with a robust digital inventory, facilitating data-backed management without disrupting the integrity of the ecosystem. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
India.com
05-06-2025
- Business
- India.com
India's neighbor finds JACKPOT worth Rs 80000 crore! The treasure is..., US, China are interested due to...
Representational Image/AI-generated. Pakistan gold deposits: In some rare piece of good news for Pakistan, India's enemy next door has reportedly discovered huge deposits of placer gold in Attock and Mansehra districts in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces, respectively, estimated to be worth a staggering Rs 80,000 crore. As per Pakistani media reports, the state-owned National Engineering Services Pakistan (NESPAK) has reportedly discovered a huge placer gold deposit has been found on the banks of the Indus River in Attock district. Pakistani scientists have claimed the the placer gold deposit in Attock is estimated to be worth around $9.6 billion (about Rs 80,000 crore). US and China eyeing Pakistan's treasure? Meanwhile, the giant gold deposit has captured the attention of investors from all over the world, including those from China and the United States. Unconfirmed reports claim a Texas-based investor, Gentry Thomas, who is a friend of US President Donald Trump's son Donald Trump Jr, has already signed a deal in this regard with Apex Energy, a Pakistani private energy company. Under the agreement, the Pakistani and US firms will jointly conduct excavations to find gold deposits along the Indus River, according to reports. Extensive research was conducted in the Attock and Mansehra district which led to the discovery of placer gold deposits, reports said. Geologists used advanced geochemical and geophysical exploration techniques to find traces of gold deposits, while mining operations will be conducted over an area spanning 4579 square kilometers in Mansehra, and 6857 square kilometers in Attock district. Pakistan strikes gold in Gilgit Earlier this year, reports emerged that Pakistan has discovered larges reserves of gold, copper, nickel and cobalt in the Gilgit-Baltistan region. According to Pakistani media reports, at least ten mineral blocks have been discovered in Gilgit-Baltistan, where the presence of gold, copper, nickel and cobalt was confirmed during a state-funded survey. The reports further revealed that Pakistan is exploring potential mineral resources in Chiniot in Punjab province. As per a report by Pakistan-based Express Tribune, OGDCL is in talks with Punjab's Mineral Department to expedite the process. How placer gold deposits are formed? Placer gold deposits are formed when gold particles, along with other heavy minerals, are moved and sorted by natural forces like erosions and water flow, resulting in the gold being concentrated along places like riverbeds, beaches, and desert regions. This phenomenon takes millions of years, as the accumulated gold is slowly transported and deposited by water, wind, and other sources from the original source. Experts believe that the recent discoveries of gold and other rare minerals could provide a significant boost to the crumbling Pakistan economy which currently lies in tatters due to high inflation, food insecurity, and dwindling foreign exchange reserves.
Business Recorder
23-05-2025
- Business
- Business Recorder
Ground-breaking ceremony of Public Facilitation Centre at SC held
ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court of Pakistan has broken ground on a dedicated Public Facilitation Centre designed to place litigants and citizens at the very heart of judicial service delivery. Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhel, Chairman of the Court's Building Committee, performed the ceremony in the presence of the chief justice of Pakistan, fellow justices, the attorney general for Pakistan, representatives of the Supreme Court Bar Association, and officers from the Capital Development Authority (CDA), NESPAK, and the Supreme Court administration. Speaking on the occasion, the chief justice underscored that 'litigants are the pulse of judicial reform,' stressing that every touchpoint must be respectful, seamless, and located 'under one roof.' He noted that while many services already exist, their dispersion across different wings had burdened the visitors. The Centre will therefore consolidate filing counters, certified-copy desks, information kiosks, and facilitation booths into a single, citizen-centric hall, supported by modern technology integration such as biometric queue management, self-service e-kiosks, and real-time case-status displays. The registrar, Muhammad Salim Khan, highlighted that the project originated from Justice Mandokhel's vision to remove physical hurdles and create an accessible interface between the public and the Court. The NESPAK architects presented a brief overview of the design, which features barrier-free access, a digital helpdesk, and a comfortable waiting lounge. The CDA has committed to establishing a dedicated bus stop and shuttle connection, ensuring smoother transit for visitors arriving from across the capital. Appreciating the Building Committee's milestone achievement, the chief justice expressed confidence that the Centre will 'translate constitutional promises into everyday convenience,' reaffirming the Supreme Court's resolve to harness technology for faster, fairer, and more transparent justice. He announced that the Public Facilitation Centre is scheduled to be completed within two months, marking one of the fastest civil-works turnarounds in the court's history. Construction begins immediately, with phased service migration planned to minimise any disruption to ongoing court business. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Express Tribune
15-05-2025
- Business
- Express Tribune
$500 million lost in Dasu project irregularities
The Senate Standing Committee on Economic Affairs was informed Wednesday that the national exchequer has suffered a loss of $500 million due to large-scale irregularities in the Dasu Transmission Line project. The panel raised questions over non-transparent tendering practices and the awarding of the contract to an inexperienced company for the plan. The committee meeting was chaired by Senator Saifullah Abro. The body expressed serious concerns over the sidelining of the lowest bidder without substantial justification, and awarding the contract to a company that reportedly lacked the necessary experience in manufacturing bundling conductors. Senator Abro noted that favouritism towards an inexperienced firm led to a massive financial loss, and strongly criticized relevant authorities for failing to uphold transparency in the procurement process. Officials from NESPAK and the National Transmission and Despatch Company (NTDC) were unable to provide satisfactory answers, drawing sharp criticism from committee members. The chairman directed that a full investigation be launched into the matter and called for action against those found responsible. The committee chairman directed that a thorough investigation be conducted and action taken against those responsible. The committee decided to refer the matter to the Public Accounts Committee for further scrutiny. The Dasu Transmission Line Project aims to transmit electricity from the Dasu Hydropower Plant to Islamabad. It involves a 765 kV double-circuit transmission line, spanning approximately 250 kilometers, with a Mansehra and Islamabad West grid stations along the route.
