rs71bn parliament lodges

Rs7.1bn Parliament lodges project faces forensic a…

ByJustpaste.in

Islamabad: Serious questions have been raised over the construction quality and progress of the Rs 7.1 billion New Parliament Lodges Project after the Senate House Committee found major differences between official claims and the actual condition observed during inspection.

The committee was informed that although significant progress was claimed, the inspection team found that only around 20 percent of the 104 new Parliament Lodges were functionally complete. Senators raised concerns over construction standards, design changes and the quality of facilities being developed with public funds.

The Senate House Committee, chaired by Senator Syedal Khan, Deputy Chairman Senate and Chairman Senate House Committee, expressed concern over the findings and decided to move towards a detailed forensic audit to examine the quality of construction work, repairs and maintenance activities.

During the meeting, Senator Kamil Ali Agha informed the committee that several issues were identified during the inspection of the new lodges. These included changes from the originally approved central air conditioning system to individual air conditioning units, poor ventilation arrangements, problems in ceiling fan installation due to design limitations and unsuitable placement of storage areas near lodge entrances.

Senators questioned whether the project was being completed according to the originally approved design and whether the quality of construction matched the cost involved.

Officials from the Capital Development Authority informed the committee that the grey structure of the lodges had been completed and finishing work was currently underway. They stated that imported lifts were yet to be installed and furniture for the lodges had already been ordered.

The CDA representative further informed the committee that an architect had been hired to prepare a model lodge design for the renovation of existing Parliament Lodges. The renovation plan would include improvements in electrical systems and other related facilities.

The committee also discussed complaints regarding maintenance and repair work in existing Parliament Lodges. Senator Jan Muhammad highlighted that only limited funds had been allocated for the repair of his allotted lodge despite repeated requests over the past three years.

CDA officials informed the committee that funds for the first quarter had been released and the tendering process would begin soon. They expected repair work to start in the first week of September 2026.

The Ministry of Planning, Development and Special Initiatives informed the committee that the total cost of the 104 New Parliament Lodges Project stands at Rs 7.1 billion. Out of this amount, Rs 3.5 billion has already been spent, while Rs 1.1 billion has been allocated during the current financial year.

The committee also discussed concerns related to transparency and accountability. CDA officials informed members that the Auditor General of Pakistan had already started an external forensic audit of repair and maintenance works, and the final report was awaited.

However, the committee decided that a broader independent forensic audit should also be conducted for both the existing Parliament Lodges and the construction of the new 104 lodges.

Senator Syedal Khan proposed that a professional consultancy firm led by Syed Shabbar Zaidi should conduct the audit. Senator Kamil Ali Agha supported the proposal, describing the firm as highly professional. The committee unanimously recommended engaging the firm to ensure transparency, accountability and better quality control.

The committee stressed that Parliament projects must meet the highest standards because they are funded through public money. Members said timely completion, quality construction and proper use of funds would remain under strict parliamentary monitoring.

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