Islamabad (Izhar Khan Niazi):
The Senate House Committee has expressed serious concerns over delays, construction quality, and maintenance issues related to the 104 new Parliament Lodges project. The committee recommended conducting an independent forensic audit of both existing and under-construction Parliament Lodges to ensure transparency and quality.
The meeting of the Senate House Committee was held under the chairmanship of Deputy Chairman Senate and Chairman Senate House Committee Syedal Khan Nasir. The committee conducted a detailed review of the progress of the 104 new Parliament Lodges project, construction standards, and renovation matters.
The committee expressed strong displeasure over delays in the project, concerns regarding construction quality, and the absence of senior officials from relevant ministries and departments during the meeting.
The meeting was attended by Senators Danish Kumar, Hidayatullah Khan, Jan Muhammad, Kamil Ali Agha, Naseema Ehsan, and officials from the Capital Development Authority (CDA), Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Planning, Ministry of Finance, and Senate Secretariat.
The committee criticized the absence of senior officials from relevant ministries and CDA, stating that it reflected a lack of seriousness toward the parliamentary oversight process.
During the meeting, the inspection committee presented its report on the construction of 104 new Parliament Lodges. The report revealed that contrary to claims of significant progress, only around 20 percent of the project has been completed so far.
The report highlighted several issues, including the installation of separate air conditioners instead of the approved central air-conditioning system, inadequate ventilation, design flaws in ceiling fan installations, unsuitable storage spaces in the lodges, and concerns regarding overall construction quality.
CDA’s Member Engineering briefed the committee that the grey structure of the project has been completed, while finishing work is currently underway. He said that the installation of imported lifts is pending and an order for furniture procurement has already been placed.
He further informed the committee that architectural services have been hired for the renovation of existing Parliament Lodges, and a modern model lodge will be prepared according to contemporary requirements.
During the meeting, Senator Jan Muhammad complained that only nominal funds had been provided for the repair of his allocated lodge over the past three years. CDA officials responded that first-quarter funds had been released and the tendering process would be completed soon, with repair work expected to begin in the first week of September 2026.
The Chief Planning Officer of the Ministry of Planning informed the committee that the total cost of the 104 new Parliament Lodges project is Rs. 7.1 billion. So far, Rs. 3.5 billion has been spent, while Rs. 1.1 billion has been allocated for the current financial year.
The committee was informed that the Auditor General of Pakistan has initiated an external forensic audit of repair and maintenance works, and the report is awaited.
Chairman Senate House Committee Syedal Khan Nasir proposed that an independent forensic audit of both existing and under-construction Parliament Lodges should be conducted through a renowned professional consultancy firm.
Senator Kamil Ali Agha supported the proposal, stating that such an audit would help ensure transparency and maintain construction standards.
The committee unanimously approved the recommendation and reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring timely completion of the project, maintaining high construction standards, and ensuring transparent utilization of national resources through continued parliamentary oversight.