The Prime Minister has established a committee to revive the Neelum-Jhelum hydropower project.

The prime minister was presiding over a meeting at the PM House to evaluate the advancement of the Neelum-Jhelum Hydropower project.

During the meeting, he received a comprehensive briefing that on April 29, 2024, the Neelum-Jhelum Hydropower Project experienced a decrease in power generation due to a drop in pressure in the right and left head race tunnels. Furthermore, on May 2, 2024, power generation from the power plant came to a complete halt.
Former Federal Interior Secretary Shahid Khan, who leads the investigation committee probing the recent issues in the Neelum-Jhelum Hydropower Project, gave a preliminary investigation report during the meeting.

During the meeting, he informed everyone that the termination of the project is resulting in a significant financial loss of millions of rupees to the national treasury.
During the meeting, it was reported that the location of the present fault was the rock burst zone.

The meeting was informed that in 2021, during the PTI regime, there was a notable decline in power generation from the project due to an anomalous drop in pressure in the headrace tunnel. However, this abnormal pressure shift was disregarded and not reported. “The information intentionally concealed.”

The meeting stated that no remedial measures were taken by the PTI government to address the malfunction of the Neelum-Jhelum Hydropower Project in 2021, resulting in escalating losses. “It was an act of gross negligence.”

The inquiry report will include the defects found in the Neelum-Jhelum Hydropower Project in 2021. It was reported in the meeting that power generation was discontinued in 2022 due to a malfunction in the tailrace tunnel of the project.

The building of the Neelum-Jhelum Hydropower Project neglected important geophysical and seismic considerations. Additionally, the head race tunnel did not receive sufficient concrete lining.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has instructed for the prompt completion of the investigation report on the recent shutdown of the Neelum-Jhelum Hydropower Project. The study should identify the individuals accountable for the project’s flaws and appropriate measures should be taken against them.

Experts have identified architectural flaws and the absence of concrete lining in the project. The prime minister expressed disappointment at the abandonment of such a significant and crucial undertaking.

He inquired about the absence of a comprehensive geological survey for the project.

The prime minister stated that criminal negligence occurred due to the failure to conduct third-party validation of the project.

Present at the meeting were Minister for Economic Affairs Ahad Khan Cheema, Information Minister Ata Ullah Tararr, Power Minister Awais Ahmed Khan Leghari, Petroleum Minister Musadik Malik, Deputy Chairman Planning Commission Jehanzeb Khan, Coordinator to PM Rana Ehsaan Afzal, Chairman WAPDA Lt. Gen (retd) Sajjad Ghani, former Interior Secretary Shahid Khan, and other senior officials.