Senate panel requests investigation into NTDC’s Rs1.28 billion irregularity in World Bank-funded grid station project.

Senator Saifullah Abro, Chairman of the Standing Committee on Economic Affairs, has requested that Power Minister Sardar Awais Leghari examine potential financial violations by the National Transmission and Despatch Company (NTDC) in the 765kV Grid Station project in Islamabad West.

According to a news report, the World Bank-financed project has raised concerns over a Rs1.28 billion shortfall, which Senator Abro believes was added outside the terms of the original bidding procedure.

In a letter to the electricity minister, Senator Abro stated that the inconsistencies were discovered during committee examinations of foreign-funded power sector projects. These examinations concentrated on processes including tendering, contractor evaluations, and project progress.

The 765kV Grid Station contract was awarded to M/s NWEPDI-TBEA (JV) in May 2024, with the lowest offer of Rs33.6 billion. However, an extra Rs1.28 billion was then added for taxes, despite being omitted at the bid opening and contrary to the NTDC Board’s agreement in March 2024.

Senator Abro stated that NTDC executives and its board confirmed during a committee hearing in December 2024 that included the tax amount was a “mistake” that resulted in huge losses to the national exchequer. The senator said that this conduct breached bidding rules and lacked transparency, jeopardizing the integrity of foreign-funded infrastructure projects.

The committee voiced considerable concern over the NTDC’s failure to preserve openness and accountability throughout the project’s management.

Senator Abro has urged the electricity ministry to collect the additional Rs1.28 billion, hold those involved accountable, and tighten governance procedures to avoid future inconsistencies.