Senate panel questions two-year delay in hiring Lahore drainage consultant

The Senate Standing Committee on Economic Affairs has questioned a delay of more than two years in hiring a consultant for the Lahore Wastewater and Drainage Management Project. At a meeting on October 29, 2026, it raised concerns over procurement procedures, missing supporting documents and the risk of further increases in project costs.

The committee chairman asked the Project Director of the Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA) Lahore to explain the delay in hiring a Project Management Consultant and Owner's Engineer. According to Minute Mirror, the director could not describe the consultant's responsibilities and did not give a satisfactory explanation.

The project originated in 2019 and aims to improve Lahore's existing sewerage and drainage system. The planned infrastructure includes a sewerage network from LARECHS Colony to Gulshan e Ravi.

The consultant was selected through the Quality and Cost Based Selection method. The committee asked for its approved Terms of Reference, bidding documents, evaluation criteria and details of the contracted work. It also wants to know whether the consultant met its contractual duties and what caused the delay. The consultant was required to deliver the project design within six months of mobilisation, which took place in June.

Questions were also raised over verification of documents submitted by firms in the selection process. The chairman directed authorities to provide the consultant's experience certificates and other papers showing the firm met procurement criteria. The Project Director said the tender documents included the Apostille verification procedure, but could not present documents proving the checks had been completed.

The committee called for a complete record of checks on the consultant's credentials, with documentary evidence. Authorities were directed to submit the information before the next meeting.

The Secretary of the Punjab Housing, Urban Development and Public Health Engineering Department told the committee that four delayed projects were no longer held up. He said changes in governments and other administrative issues had affected progress. The committee sought a clearer explanation of the specific delays in the Lahore project and the steps to prevent further problems.

The chairman said the committee does not oppose foreign assistance or development projects but wants public money spent properly. The committee called for closer coordination between the Economic Affairs Division and departments carrying out projects. It had earlier formed a subcommittee to examine delays in development projects and their causes.