The project originally approved in 2001 at a cost of Rs 14 billion and revised thrice to Rs 61.985 billion

Nazir Siyal/DNA

KARACHI: The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) expressed strong displeasure over the long-stalled Right Bank Outfall Drain-II (RBOD-II) project, where despite spending over Rs 40 billion between 2001 and 2017, the scheme remains incomplete.

At a briefing by WAPDA officials and Sindh Irrigation Department officers, it was revealed that the 273-kilometer-long project originally approved in 2001 at a cost of Rs 14 billion and revised thrice to Rs 61.985 billion has seen 70% work completed but has remained abandoned since 2015.

WAPDA distanced itself from the project, asserting that it was only responsible for RBOD-I and RBOD-III (both completed) and that RBOD-II is solely handled by the Sindh Irrigation Department, bwith direct funding from the federal Ministry of Water Resources.

The Irrigation Department cited cancellation of the 2022 work order, removal of consultants, and ongoing NAB and Anti-Corruption inquiries as reasons for the halt in construction, despite Rs 3.5 billion still available in funds.

PAC Chairman Nisar Khuhro rebuked irrigation officials for negligence, stating that delays only escalate project costs.
He directed the Sindh Chief Secretary to seek approval from the Steering Committee for appointment of a new consultant to resume work.

PAC also instructed the department to take steps for installing a treatment plant before the Zero Point to prevent toxic RBOD effluents from polluting Manchar Lake.

Officials confirmed that the federal government had released Rs 44 billion up to 2017, of which Rs 40 billion had already been spent. Still, the project is pending, raising serious accountability questions.

Earlier objections by the Irrigation Secretary declaring the project “non-feasible” were rejected in today’s meeting by SE RBOD Abdul Waheed Nizamani, who clarified that RBOD-II will not pass through the Indus riverbed, but will run along its alignment as per the approved design.

PAC concluded by declaring RBOD-II a vital project for Sindh and ordered that construction must resume without further delay.

It is also mentioned here that the substandard work on RBOD-I and its Embankments are vulnerable and weak, which can be witnessed at various locations after decade work.

LONDON, AUG 18: Global credit rating agency Fitch has forecasted Pakistan’s real GDP growth at 3.5% by 2027, up from 2.5% in 2024, according to Fitch Ratings.

“Pakistan’s improved sovereign credit profile reinforces this view,” Fitch noted, referring to the upgrade of the country’s Long-Term Issuer Default Rating (IDR) to ‘B-‘/Stable from ‘CCC+’ in April 2025. The rating improvement was underpinned by ongoing economic recovery, reforms and improving fiscal performance.

The recovery comes after a particularly turbulent period for Pakistan’s economy. Inflation, which peaked at 38% in May 2023, has since eased to 4.1% in July 2025, with Fitch expecting it to average around 5% for the year.

Meanwhile, monetary policy has shifted in response to easing inflationary pressures. Since May 2024, Pakistan’s central bank has halved the policy rate to 11%, while external stability has improved through reduced currency volatility and current account surpluses.

Fitch anticipates that this combination of lower interest rates and a more stable macroeconomic environment will boost demand for private credit.

“We expect the combination of lower interest rates and an improving macroeconomic environment to stimulate private credit demand,” Fitch said, adding that this should support “steadier loan and deposit growth, and banks’ financial performance.”

The agency noted that Pakistan’s banks are set to benefit from better opportunities to generate business volumes due to improving operating conditions amid receding macroeconomic headwinds.

“Private sector credit, which had dropped to a cyclical low of 9.7% of GDP in 2024, is expected to rebound, reducing banks’ reliance on public-sector lending. Continued economic and fiscal reforms could further support this shift,” the statement read.

However, Fitch also pointed to ongoing risks, stating that Pakistan’s improving, albeit still weak, operating environment and its low sovereign credit rating remain areas of concern.

The agency cautioned that the banks’ intrinsic creditworthiness will remain “closely linked to the sovereign and the pace of economic reform,” due to their significant exposure to sovereign securities and state-linked entities.

Despite past economic turbulence, Pakistani banks have demonstrated resilience. The sector’s impaired loan ratio improved to 7.1% by March 2025, down from 7.6% at the end of 2023, amid strong loan growth of 26%, largely fueled by inflation.

RAWALPINDI, AUG 18 /DNA/ – Upholding its legacy of responding to the nation’s call during times of natural calamities, Pakistan Air Force, extended vital support to ongoing relief operations in flood-affected areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

In this regard, a total of 48 tons of relief goods arranged by an NGO were airlifted from Karachi to Peshawar through an Air Eagle B-737 aircraft. By establishing an air bridge, PAF has ensured the swift transportation of urgently needed supplies to support relief efforts in the flood-hit districts of Buner and Shangla.

The consignment comprising essential dry ration will be distributed among affected families in close coordination with National Disaster Management Authority.

This humanitarian mission reflects Pakistan Air Force’s enduring commitment to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the nation, not only in safeguarding the aerial frontiers of the country but also in providing timely assistance to fellow countrymen in times of crisis.

Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi Pays Surprise Visit to NADRA Kot Abdul Malik Centre and Shahdara Passport Office

Abid Raza

Lahore, AUG 18 /DNA/ – Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi today paid a surprise visit to the NADRA Centre in Kot Abdul Malik and the Passport Office in Shahdara. During the visit, the Minister reviewed the process of issuing national identity cards, other related documents, and passports.

The NADRA office at Kot Abdul Malik was closed due to renovation work, while two mobile vans were stationed outside. However, both vans faced internet outages, resulting in long queues of citizens. NADRA staff explained that the system was down, which caused delays. Citizens also complained that the helpline was not providing proper guidance.

Minister Naqvi listened to the grievances of people who had come to get their ID cards made and issued immediate instructions to resolve the issues. He directed that the internet problem be fixed without delay and ordered the Kot Abdul Malik centre to be made operational at the earliest. He further stressed that since the facility to issue ID cards is available at every centre, it is unacceptable to ask citizens to visit other centres.

At the Shahdara Passport Office, Minister Naqvi met citizens and inquired about the passport issuance process. People complained about delays in the delivery of passports. Expressing displeasure after seeing files and paperwork scattered in the office, the Minister ordered that all records be digitized immediately.

He directed officials to ensure that passports are delivered within the stipulated timeframe. He emphasized that citizens should be able to obtain passports from any passport centre of their choice and that forcing them to move from one centre to another is intolerable.

The Interior Minister also instructed the formulation of a new policy for issuing passports to children whose fathers are working abroad.

LONDON/ISLAMABAD, AUG 18 /DNA/ – Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Pakistan, Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar, met on Monday with the UK’s Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Middle East, Afghanistan, and Pakistan, Rt. Hon. Hamish Falconer, at the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) in London.

According to an official statement, the two sides reviewed the entire spectrum of Pakistan–UK bilateral relations and reaffirmed their shared commitment to further strengthening cooperation in political, economic, climate, and people-to-people domains. They also held an exchange of views on important regional and global developments.

Senator Dar briefed his counterpart on Pakistan’s ongoing economic reform agenda and highlighted Islamabad’s perspective on regional security, including the need for peace and stability in South Asia. He also reiterated Pakistan’s principled stance on the Jammu and Kashmir dispute, underscoring the importance of a just and peaceful resolution in line with relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions.

Both leaders expressed satisfaction at the positive trajectory of Pakistan–UK relations and acknowledged the progress being made in multiple areas of collaboration. They emphasized the significance of maintaining regular high-level engagements to sustain momentum and to explore new avenues for strategic partnership.

The meeting was described as cordial and constructive, reflecting the mutual desire of both countries to deepen bilateral ties and enhance cooperation on shared priorities.