ISLAMABAD: The National Engineering Services Pakistan (Nespak) has revealed that the collapse of a tunnel at the Neelum-Jhelum Hydroelectric Project caused physical damage worth around Rs35 billion and resulted in over Rs100 billion in losses due to halted power generation.
Briefing the Senate Standing Committee on Cabinet Secretariat, chaired by Senator Rana Mahmood ul Hassan, Nespak officials said the incident occurred 5.5 kilometres underground. Three inquiry committees have been formed to determine whether the fault lies with the project’s consultants or the site’s geological conditions.
The committee was informed that Nespak has completed 4,822 projects over the past three years, including 595 in 40 countries such as Saudi Arabia, UAE, Türkiye, Iran, Afghanistan, and several African nations. Nespak has also partnered with international and local firms through joint ventures. The panel directed the submission of a list of ongoing projects for review in its next session.
The meeting also discussed The Cannabis Control and Regulatory Authority (Amendment) Bill, 2025, which proposes allocating 1% of the authority’s annual funds to CSR initiatives like rehabilitation centres, skill development, and women’s empowerment. The bill was deferred for further input from the authority’s board.
Additionally, the committee considered a query on Pakistan Telecommunication Authority’s criteria for enforcing roll-out obligations without a formal right-of-way framework, deciding to invite the Ministry of IT for a detailed briefing. Several agenda items were postponed due to member absences.
Senators Farooq Hamid Naek, Fawzia Arshad, Dr Afnanullah Khan, Shahadat Awan, and special invitees Bilal Khan Mandokhel and Sardar Al Haj Muhammad Umer Gorgaij attended the session.
Story by Tahir Amin
