Senate Slams Wapda Luxury Car Purchase Amid Austerity Measures

The Senate Standing Committee on Water Resources strongly criticized the Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) for purchasing 78 luxury vehicles worth Rs740 million, despite the federal government's austerity policy that prohibits such extravagant spending.

In a heated session led by Senator Shahadat Awan, committee members expressed their outrage over Wapda's financial decisions, emphasizing that the acquisition of these high-end cars went against the cabinet’s orders to limit government expenditure. The controversy over Wapda's vehicle purchase follows a similar uproar surrounding the Federal Board of Revenue’s (FBR) attempt to acquire 1,010 new Honda City cars for an estimated Rs6 billion.

Following intense public backlash and scrutiny from a Senate committee, the FBR’s purchase plan was halted, and the issue was handed over to the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA) and the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) for further investigation. The FBR chairman had argued that the vehicles were needed for enforcement purposes, but the process was stopped amidst concerns of financial misconduct.

The Water Resources Standing Committee also voiced concerns about the lack of progress in addressing financial irregularities within Wapda, with some investigations stretching back as far as 40 years