ISLAMABAD: A session of the National Assembly’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC) saw serious allegations from PTI MNA Sanaullah Masti Khel, who accused the Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) of retaliatory actions after he raised concerns about discrepancies in a multibillion-rupee hydropower project.
Speaking to the media after the PAC meeting, Masti Khel claimed that during the previous day’s session, he had questioned Wapda Chairman Lt Gen (retd) Sajjad Ghani regarding the massive cost discrepancies in the Dasu hydropower project. “I asked why a project originally worth Rs4 billion was completed for Rs36 billion,” he said. He also expressed concerns over Ghani’s appointment.
Masti Khel further alleged that in retaliation for his inquiries, electricity meters were removed from his and his relatives’ homes late at night. “Not only were meters removed, but I was also threatened with the demolition of buildings,” he added. He stressed that he had received no prior communication from Wapda, asserting that he was neither a defaulter nor had committed any wrongdoing. “If the dam issue is being sent to NAB, then it is definitely my crime,” he remarked.
The PTI lawmaker condemned the action as an affront to the integrity of the PAC and parliament itself, questioning how the committee could function if such retaliatory actions were taken for asking legitimate questions.
PAC members united in their condemnation of the incident and called for it to be brought to the National Assembly speaker’s attention, demanding stern action. Masti Khel reaffirmed his commitment to transparency, vowing to continue asking critical questions for accountability and stressing that “electricity meter or transformer issues are minor compared to the insult to parliament.”
