No appointment of regular member (Water) and member (Power) has been made in the Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) since last two years, said sources. "The WAPDA has neither a regular member (Water) since last two years nor a regular member (Power) since last one year," they said.
Instead, the sources added, the chairman WAPDA has hired a retired general manager Nasir Hanif as his advisor and delegated him unlimited and unchecked administrative powers. Also, they said, a retired army brigadier has been engaged on newly created seat with discretionary powers as general manager HRD, a deviation from the requirements of WAPDA Act 1958.
They said such an ad hoc situation suits the authority as the department is functioning without two out of three members of the authority. The WAPDA sources, while requesting anonymity, confirmed non-availability of regular members of both water and power, saying that those raising objections should keep in mind that WAPDA has completed Neelum Jhelum Hydro Project in the absence of these two positions.
Meanwhile, the Transparency International Pakistan (TIP) has received a complaint against the WAPDA for not posting evaluation reports on Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA) website. A letter dated 3rd of January has been addressed to the Chairman WAPDA with a request to examine the complaint and take necessary action against all those who are involved in corrupt practices.
The TIP has referred to Rule 35 of PPRA 2004 which states that "procuring agencies shall announce the results of bid evaluation in the form of a report giving justification for acceptance or rejection of bids at least 10 days prior to the award of procurement contract."
When contacted, the WAPDA sources confirmed receiving of the letter from the TIP, saying media had a copy of the same before its receiving by the Authority. They said the WAPDA management was evaluating the letter while considering it as an "opinion" of the TIP.