ISLAMABAD: A meeting of the Central Development Working Party (CDWP) called under the leadership of caretaker Finance Minister Dr Shamshad Akhtar to consider Rs710 billion worth of 18 development projects literally became infructuous following an Election Commission of Pakistan’s spanner.

A frustrated Planning Commission officially confirmed after the meeting all, except a small project, “were deferred for the next CDWP meeting likely to be held under the newly elected government”.

A senior official told Dawn that the ECP did not allow the CDWP under the caretaker set-up to revise the project cost or change scope of work of any development project. Therefore, there was nothing left for the forum to consider despite some international obligations and requirements for funding arrangements.

He said a reference was sent to the ECP before the CDWP meeting. The ECP allowed the meeting to go on but clarified that a caretaker government did not have the mandate to approve any new development project. The ECP also explained that the caretaker CDWP could revise a project provided it did not change cost or scope of the project.

Based on this explanation, the caretaker finance minister believed there was nothing left for the CDWP to consider because it practically meant no change in the already approved project. Interestingly, the caretaker government had specifically notified Dr Shamshad Akhtar as Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission to preside over the CDWP meeting even though she is already holding the portfolio of the caretaker minister for Planning Development and Reform, Finance, Revenue, Statistics and Economic Affairs.

The Planning Commission said that out of the total 18 development projects, as well as concept clearance cases, only a revised PC-II for the capacity building of Azad Jammu and Kashmir Power Development Organisation worth Rs47.775 million was approved.

Some projects on the agenda were already approved which are just a continuation of previous CDWP considerations and guidelines, the Planning Commission said, adding that all the work was being done in the best public interest in line with the mandate and essential requirements.

Published in Dawn, July 17th, 2018