Hub Dam issue: Pak parliamentary panel directs Sindh, Balochistan to clear Rs 1.75bn dues
Islamabad: A Pakistani parliamentary panel has directed the Sindh and Balochistan governments to clear their Rs 1.752 billion outstanding dues to the Hub Dam management on account of water charges, media reports said.
A meeting of the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Water Resources, presided over by Nawab Mohammad Yousaf Talpur, was informed by the water resources ministry that Hub Dam was built by the Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) in 1981 and it was decided that 66.67 percent of the construction cost would be paid by the Sindh government and 33.33 percent by the Balochistan government, reports The Dawn.
The provinces reportedly have not paid their dues since then.
It was reported that water of Hub Dam was provided to both Sindh and Balochistan according to 1:2 ratio, but the two provinces were not paying water costs to the administration of Hub Dam. Hence, the repair and maintenance work of Hub Dam was being delayed, reports The Dawn.
The committee was informed that outstanding dues against Sindh stood at Rs 1.211 billion while Rs 541.525 million was payable by Balochistan, the newspaper reported.
The committee directed the two provinces to pay their liabilities to the Hub Dam authorities within 30 days, reported The Dawn.
The committee, otherwise, said the finance ministry would be directed at the next meeting to deduct the amounts at source and pay to the Hub Dam authorities.
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