KARACHI, April 20: Has anyone in the country taken care to keep a track on the implementation phases and flow of funds for the mega development projects in different parts of Pakistan? How many of these have been completed and at what cost — at original cost or at inflated cost.

What are the economic benefits and income generation from these projects? A multi billion dollar question is what will be the fate of incomplete projects, if people of Pakistan decide to vote out this government and bring a new one in late 2007 or early 2008?

For more than four years, both the president and the prime minister have been visiting at regular intervals various places in the country, more, particularly Balochistan, either to inaugurate or just review the pace of work of a “mega project”.

The two top Pakistani leaders signed countless agreements, contracts, memoranda of understandings with the governments and private institutions in foreign countries during last four years.

In May 2005, the government spelt out an investment plan of $41 billion for mega projects at the Pakistan Development Forum. Formerly known as World Bank’s Aid to Pakistan Consortium, the rechristened PDF meeting in May 2005 witnessed pledge of several billion dollars by the participants.

Pakistan indicated investment requirement from 2005 to 2008 and beyond. These included $33 billion for the water sector till 2025. A sum of $12 billion was the requirement for the five years - 2006 to 2011. How much of these funds have come and what are the projects? No answer was ever given of this question.

Within days after the PDF in May 2005, the international media reported that donors were demanding strong guarantees and explanation as to how the Pakistan government would pay the loans. “For next 10 years, the donors want sustainable economic growth rate at 6 to 8 per cent each year, narrowing down of trade and current account deficit, stabilisation of inflation and lessening of growing economic disparities,” an official was quoted.

Thanks to the expansion and growth of services sector in last four years, Pakistan has managed to maintain a 6.5 per cent annual growth rate but the trade deficit, the current account imbalance and inflation are showing no signs of respite. The poverty rate might have come down or not but social and economic disparities are becoming more and more pronounced with every passing day.

It was in May 2005 that Pakistan indicated investment requirement of $10 to 17 billion to increase electric power generation by 6,000 megawatts in next five years. The electric power supply in summer 2007 is worse than 2005.

About seven or eight weeks ago Babar Ghouri, the federal minister from Karachi wanted the postponement of general elections till such time all these projects are completed. But no one in the government offered any time schedule and list of mega projects.

While the ministers and leaders of public opinion were giving their views on this proposal, when the events, triggered by a March 9 handout of the government that declared Chief Justice of Pakistan non functional, overtook abruptly the debate and an altogether new situation emerged in which mega projects have been pushed behind some smoke screen.

A 1,400 feet high “Port Tower Complex” project to be built with active collaboration of a Qatar concern at a cost of Rs20 billion (more than $310 million) was a gift from Babar Ghouri for the people of Karachi. It was to be amongst ten tallest buildings of the world.

The project included an Expo centre, low and high residential complexes, community centre, club house, shopping galleries. Does anyone remember when was ground breaking ceremony or foundation stone was laid. The total 90 acres of land for the project was to be reclaimed from the sea. Did anyone take into consideration the environmental hazards from such a project?

A lot has been said and written on the environmental hazards and sufferings of people living in Sindh delta region because of two mega projects — Left Bank Outfall Drainage and the Right Bank Outfall Drainage (LBOD and RBOD).

The two institutions — World Bank and Asian Development Bank - have been criticised for designing bad projects, which have caused miseries to the million of people.

These days, the cities and villages in Pakistan are plunged into darkness after sunset, because the public sector Wapda and the privatised KESC are competing with each other to keep light away from the people. A Rs13 billion investment plan was underway in KESC to upgrade transmission and distribution facilities. What happened to that programme?

The Sindh Finance Minister in his last budget speech in June 2006 announced a development investment of Rs117 billion during last three years. The Sindh government in its rejoinder to a World Bank report on provincial economy gave a figure of Rs133 billion development investments in last four years.

It was in last two to three years that people in Hyderabad and Karachi died of drinking contaminated water. The summer rains literally inundated Karachi and lack of drainage facilities in Hyderabad and other parts made the life of hundreds and thousands of people miserable.

The rural Sindh still reports the lowest enrolment of children in primary schools. The basic health care facilities in many parts of rural Sindh are still missing.

At present there are 10 federal funded projects in Sindh with a total outlay of over Rs103 billion. In last four years, only a sum of Rs28.8 billion has been released from Islamabad. Delay in release of committed funds cause a run over expense, which pushes up the cost.

The much publicised Lyari Expressway was originally designed to cost Rs2.87 billion. More than Rs4 billion has been spent on this project which was expected to complete in the year 2006. It is still incomplete and require more than Rs700 million.

Drainage is the main problem caused by construction of barrages and dams on upper riparian. Slight rains inundate cities and villages. The RBOD was originally designed with an investment of Rs14 billion. It will now cost more than Rs29 billion and only Rs6 billion were released so far. Similarly for revamping drainage and irrigation in Sindh, the federal government released only Rs3.85 billion against an indicated cost of Rs12.96 billion.

Tameer-e-Karachi, Hyderabad and many other mega projects are trailing behind their schedule and showing a rising run over cost and aggravating problems in cities and villages.