Govt Requests Release of Dam Funds from Supreme Court

The federal government requested the release of funds collected for the construction of Diamer-Bhasha and Mohmand dams from the Supreme Court.

The plea was made during a hearing by a four-member bench, headed by Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa.

“We have submitted a miscellaneous petition,” said Additional Attorney General Amir Rehman, urging the court to release the funds to the federal government and Wapda. The State Bank had previously opened an account under the Supreme Court’s supervision for the collection of these funds.

Chief Justice Isa inquired about the total amount collected, with Wapda lawyer Saad Rasool responding that approximately Rs20 billion had been deposited. The case, initiated by the Supreme Court in 2018, focused on disputes related to dam construction projects.

Wapda’s counsel suggested that the disputes among private parties regarding the dams should be resolved at relevant judicial forums, rather than being overseen by the Supreme Court.