HYDERABAD: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has asked the Project Management Office (PMO) of the World Bank-funded Sindh Barrages Improvement Project (SBIP), a provincial government’s flagship project, to share complete record regarding the installation and financial documents pertaining to gates number 44 to 59 of Sukkur Barrage, on Jan 26 before the NAB Sukkur.

The anti-graft watchdog has sought documents by serving a notice u/s 19 of National Accountability Ordinance (NAO) 1999 on the project management. The notice was issued by an assistant director (coordination), investigation wing-I, NAB Sukkur.

The NAB has asked the PMO to share PC-I along with its revised version, if any. The office was also required to provide complete budget allocations and utilisation to date with details of foreign funding, if any.

It has asked for tender files, worker orders, summary showing progress/status of works executed and works under process, complete record regarding installation of main gates No. 44 to 59, including tender files, measurement books (MBs), bills, payment history and present status. The NAB has also sought complete tender files regarding hiring of consultants, laboratory and monitoring reports.

PMO was set up in the irrigation department under the SBIP for execution/supervision of project about Guddu and Sukkur barrages’ rehabilitation and modernisation. Under WB’s Rs74,618m loan, Sukkur and Guddu barrages were undergoing rehabilitation through the SBIP. Some UK-based consultants were hired for a project which was being executed by Chinese contractors. Not only the Sindh chief minister, but ruling PPP’s chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari have been have briefed on the significance of project.

The physical progress in case of Sukkur would be around 55pc by start of year’s monsoon season whereas 77pc progress was achieved at Guddu Barrage as per the SBIP management. Gates 44-59 of Sukkur Barrage have been replaced. “Details sought by the NAB Sukkur have been submitted to them,” said SBIP Project Director Pritam Das here Monday.

These are among 27 gates whose replacement was to be achieved in 2025-26 before commencement of flood season. In 2026-27 season, another 12 gates would be replaced. These gates deal with the barrage’s seven major canals’ operation for feeding canals. These gates usually function during floods when medium or heavy flood passes through the barrage. Damages to the barrage’s seven gates were reported in June 2024, leading to an inquiry and disciplinary action against then chief engineer, superintending engineers and several other officials. They have, however, been reinstated.

The NAB’s Jan 14 notice regarding Sukkur Barrage doesn’t mention the name of complainant and points of complaint. A general reference of corruption/corrupt practices by misuse of authority, misappropriation of government funds was mentioned.

The notices were issued at a time when the World Bank president was due to visit Sukkur Barrage on Feb 4. Sindh Irrigation Minister Jam Khan Shoro has lately visited barrage to see progress.

The NAB Sukkur has also issued notices to Secretary Irrigation Zarif Khero to share details of works orders, administrative approvals and technical sanctions issued for his incumbency when he was executive engineer to date. He was also required to share work/contracts given to Pappu Channa, a contractor.

A committee, notified by the Sindh government in Dec 2024 and now headed by the chairman of the anticorruption establishment was supposed to scrutinise/conduct initial probe into the NAB complaints against civil servants and submit its findings to the competent authority and share the same with the NAB.

“In case the committee and NAB DG differed, they shall submit their findings before the CS (chief secretary) or the CM Sindh,” said another senior officer. But, according to him, this was not seemingly done in present three inquiries.

In March 2024, according to the secretary irrigation, the NAB Sukkur had recommended not for action (NFA) through the NAB headquarter “a complaint by Mir Mohammad Pathan, who was called multiple times to attend the NAB regarding his complaint against the secretary irrigation and submit fresh affidavit. But he didn’t appear. The complainant didn’t attend the video call as well”. The secretary said the complainant was termed pseudonymous by the NAB Sukkur in its correspondence with the NAB headquarter then.

Published in Dawn, January 27th, 2026