Senate Committee Reviews Flood Rehabilitation Efforts and Fund Allocation
Press Release
The Senate Standing Committee on Economic Affairs Pakistan, chaired by Senator Saifullah Abro, convened at Parliament House to discuss flood rehabilitation initiatives across provinces. The meeting was attended by Senators Falak Naz, Kamran Murtaza, Haji Hidayatullah Khan, Kamil Ali Agha, senior officials from the Ministry of Economic Affairs, and representatives from relevant departments.
The Committee received a detailed briefing on flood rehabilitation efforts, completed projects, and fund utilization across all provinces. However, Senator Saifullah Abro expressed concerns over the lack of clarity, despite this being the 11th meeting on the subject.
The Secretary, Ministry of Economic Affairs Pakistan, outlined three primary approaches for fund utilization: repurposing existing project funds, securing loans against committed funds, and invoking the emergency clause in ongoing projects. He also detailed the allocation of $8 billion in aid, including oil-related disbursements specifically for the Geneva floods, with the Islamic Development Bank providing the largest support.
Emphasizing the importance of disaster management and ration distribution, Senator Saifullah Abro demanded a breakdown of food item distribution across provinces and stressed the need for stringent checks and balances.
Committee members echoed concerns over delays in distribution. He further noted that AGPR had issued a report on fund utilization since 2022, yet no transparency existed regarding the distribution mechanism.
Senator Saifullah Abro highlighted the disparity in aid distribution during the 2022 floods, where some received tents and rations while others suffered complete devastation. He asserted that this issue must be addressed with the Chief Secretary of Sindh and suggested summoning him in the next meeting.
Additionally, he expressed serious concerns over the absence of the Secretary, Planning and Development Department, Sindh Province, and the omission of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa from the fund allocation briefing. The Secretary, Ministry of Economic Affairs, assured the Committee of their commitment to transparency but acknowledged that the Ministry lacks administrative control over other ministries, which hampers implementation.
During the discussion, Senator Haji Hidayatullah Khan raised the Colombo Plan, to which the Secretary and Special Secretary, Economic Affairs Division (EAD), assured the Committee that a detailed briefing would be presented in the next meeting.
The Committee was also briefed on the Project Implementation Unit (PIU) of the Sindh Flood Emergency Rehabilitation Project (SFERP). Officials reported that a significant portion of the projects had been completed, with a 90% completion status.
The Chairman and Committee members appreciated the progress but called for an update on the project’s tendering process in the next Committee meeting.
Addressing concerns about public health, Senator Saifullah Abro criticized the Planning and Development Department’s exclusive control over the sector and called for a proper oversight mechanism. He also questioned whether the substantial loan allocated could be effectively utilized.
Senator Saifullah Abro further pointed out that Jacobabad and Kashmore were excluded from the flood mitigation plan by the Work and Services Department, just as they had been overlooked during the 2010 floods.
He emphasized the region’s significant challenges, noting that a large portion of the budget is allocated to Guddu Barrage and questioned whether irrigation work was included in the plan. He demanded details on when the tendering process for these projects was initiated.
The Committee also reviewed the refurbishment of government hospitals, emergency response units, and trauma centers. Members appreciated the progress made by the Planning and Development Department, Government of Sindh, while Senator Saifullah Abro suggested visiting project sites for further assessment.
He also raised concerns over the allocation of funds for the rehabilitation of 13,000 km of roads by the Provincial Government of Sindh and urged swift implementation. Additionally, he emphasized the need for greater transparency in the tendering process, as delays in disclosure often lead to prolonged project implementation. He recommended involving higher authorities to ensure efficiency and accountability.
After detailed deliberations, the Committee unanimously recommended that the representatives of the Planning and Development Department submit a new proposal for additional project financing to EAD. The Committee also recommended that EAD approve the maximum possible funds for the project.
While reviewing all ongoing projects of the Provincial Government of Punjab under multilateral and bilateral partners, as well as UN agencies, the Committee expressed dissatisfaction with the briefing provided by representatives of the Government of Punjab and deferred the matter for further discussion in the next meeting.
The Committee unanimously recommended that representatives of the Government of Punjab provide the required information as per the agenda of the meeting.
