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Land-related cases: Wapda chief comments on AG's findings
ISLAMABAD: The newly appointed Chairman of the Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda), Lt General Muhammad Saeed (retired) has said that the findings of the Auditor General do not necessarily indicate any wrongdoing.
He made these remarks during a meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Water Resources, chaired by Senator Shahadat Awan.
The Wapda Chairman informed the Committee that land-related cases worth more than Rs 298 billion are currently pending. He further clarified that audit objections amounting to Rs 2.3 billion are not linked to corruption.
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Senator Awan noted that some of Wapda's legal cases, particularly involving land acquisition for the Mangla Dam, have remained unresolved for over two decades.
Many have been ignored for the past 16 years, and in some instances, Wapda does not even possess records of when the cases were filed. 'I've only been in office for ten days,' said the Chairman, 'and many of these cases lack proper documentation. We are working to reduce the backlog.'
In response to a question from Senator Quratulain Marri about whether Wapda has digitised its records, the Chairman admitted that the organisation's records are still not digitised, though efforts are under way. He reiterated that the Rs 298 billion in pending land cases are largely connected to land awards for the Mangla Dam.
The Secretary of the Ministry of Water Resources explained that although affectees received compensation, many still filed cases in court. In some instances, land was acquired but the dam was never constructed. Senator Saadia Abbasi observed that some individuals reportedly disappear after filing land-related claims. Senator Awan expressed concern over the massive sums involved, stating, 'since 2019, there hasn't been a single hearing scheduled in the Lahore High Court for your case.'
Wapda officials briefed the Committee that six cases are under investigation by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB)—two related to the Kacchi Canal and another two involving the Nai Gaj Dam.
Expressing surprise at the briefing, Senator Awan criticized Wapda for not tracking court dates for three years despite having a large legal team. 'Instead of solutions, the Wapda is presenting complaints,' he remarked.
Responding to the concerns, the Secretary for Water Resources clarified that Wapda is not a direct party in these NAB cases, as they were initiated by the Bureau itself.
The Committee Chairman directed that a letter be sent to NAB to obtain details of all Wapda-related cases and also requested a complete record of any criminal proceedings involving the authority.
Senator Saadia Abbasi stressed that NAB's involvement does not automatically validate the allegations. Senator Awan added that a Rs30billion illegal contract case related to the Nai Gaj Dam is also pending with NAB.
The Secretary of Water Resources clarified that the case involves private contractors and not Wapda directly.
According to an official statement, the Committee expressed serious concern over long-pending legal cases, unresolved land disputes worth trillions of rupees, and the recent shutdown of the Neelum-Jhelum Hydropower Project.
Senator Awan emphasized that some of Wapda's legal issues have remained stagnant for over 21 years. He pointed out that Wapda is occupying land worth Rs 10 billion and cases worth more than Rs 298.48 billion—primarily related to Mangla Dam lands—are still pending in courts. He also raised alarm over the Rs 30 billion illegal contract case involving the Nai Gaj Dam, urging Wapda Chairman to convene an emergency meeting on all audit cases and to submit a progress report to the Committee.
Other members shared similar views. Senator Faisal Rahman remarked, 'It seems Wapda's legal team is not doing its job,' highlighting the lack of progress on longstanding disputes.
The Committee Chair called for accountability and summoned both the FIA and NAB to the next meeting. He instructed Wapda and the Ministry of Water Resources to provide comprehensive details of all related cases.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
