If you're wondering who is the current CEO of WAPDA, you're not alone. We've all been curious about their role and why they're so important.
You may have heard of them: Gen Hussain, Muzammil Hussain, and Naveed Asghar, but who's the one behind WAPDA? Here's a brief look at each.
Naveed Asghar
On Saturday, Naveed Asghar resigned as the CEO of the Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA). The former prime minister appointed him in August 2016 to replace Zafar Mahmood as the agency's chairman. His contract had expired last year, but the PTI-led federal government extended it for another five years. The government has hoped that he will lead the agency into the next phase of development.
In an event held on the occasion, Naveed Asghar, the new CEO of the agency, accompanied the outgoing Chairman to several WAPDA signature projects. Other participants were representatives of Contractors and Consultants. The ceremony ended with a national flag hoisting ceremony at the Wapda House. It was an impressive display, spanning 100 feet by 40 feet and weighing 180 kilograms.
Mr. Asghar is responsible for all aspects of national security, from food security to energy and water supplies. He is committed to completing ten mega projects by 2028-29, adding an additional 11.7 million acre feet of gross water storage and increasing power generation capacity by 9025 megawatts. While there is an extensive list of projects and stakeholders, Mr. Asghar will continue to ensure that the authority delivers on its mission.
WAPDA is now building stage-I of the Dasu hydropower project, which is expected to produce 12 billion units of low-cost electricity each year. Once completed, the project will be Pakistan's largest energy generation annually. It is expected to cost less than a dollar per unit for electricity and will be profitable for the region. With a team of experienced engineers on board, the project will continue to grow at a rapid pace.
The chairman also highlighted the importance of harnessing water and hydropower resources. The organization has 10 mega projects under construction. They are scheduled for completion between 2022 and 2029. Ultimately, these projects will provide water and energy security for Pakistan. The water projects alone will provide irrigation for over 3.5 million acres of land and generate 44.7 billion units of electricity each year. The power projects will also provide electricity for nearly 40 million homes.
Muzammil Hussain
Lt. Gen. Muzammil Hussain resigned as the chairman of WAPDA on Saturday. He had been appointed in the position by former prime minister Nawaz Sharif on August 24, 2016. The PTI government extended his term till 2021. The reason behind Hussain's resignation is not clear, but some speculate that he had resigned to avoid political squabbles.
The WAPDA has been accused of corruption since Lt. Gen. Hussain was its chairman. The former abused his power and cheated the nation out of billions of dollars. Hussain was also accused of misappropriating government funds for a hydropower project called extension-IV at the Tarbela Dam. The project has cost the national kitty $753 million.
Muzammil Hussain, the former chairman of Wapda, was summoned by the National Accountability Bureau for his role in a scandal that involved corruption and megapower projects. He is accused of deliberately slowing down the project's development while forcing contractors to make payments to the wrong companies. This delay cost the government millions and caused a delay in the completion of the project.
Naveed Hussain
Naveed Hussain is the newly appointed Chairman of WAPDA. On Tuesday, he accompanied the outgoing chairman to Mohmand Dam in Hyderabad, where he officially inaugurated a newly constructed office building. Mr. Hussain is a long-time industry professional who joined the company in 1990 as a Howard Hughes Doctoral Fellow. He also holds seven patents, including one for drone technology.
The resignation of Naveed Hussain comes as a shock to the country. The former chairman of the Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation, who served as Wapda's chairman for over five years, is taking a step down over personal issues. Mr Hussain was appointed as the company's chairman by former prime minister Nawaz Sharif on August 24, 2016. He replaced Zafar Mahmood. Although Mr Hussain's contract was set to expire on Aug 24 this year, the PTI-led federal government has extended his contract for five years.
The resignation was sent on Tuesday to the prime minister's office and the cabinet division, with the ministry of water resources sending the summary to the PM and the Cabinet Division. The cabinet division hopes to approve the summary at a meeting scheduled on Wednesday. The summary also details the reasons for the appointment of Naveed Asghar as chairman of the Water and Power Development Authority. In addition, it mentions that it is important to fill the position on an ongoing basis.
WAPDA's ambitious plans include the construction of 10 mega projects across Pakistan to meet the nation's energy, water, and food security needs. By 2028-29, the agency is committed to completing the first four mega projects and nearly double the installed hydropower capacity. The new projects are expected to provide water for 3.5 million acres by 2023. In the next decade, WAPDA will complete another nine projects to meet the country's energy needs.
Gen Hussain
Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif has appointed Gen Hussain as the new CEO of WAPDA. He had been appointed after his predecessor Zafar Mahmood resigned due to "personal reasons". Since the federal government was pleased with his performance, Hussain has initiated the civil work on three mega projects, including the Dasu dam, Diamer-Basha dam, and Mohmand dam.
Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif had appointed Muzamil Hussain as the new chairman of the WAPDA, but Hussain resigned this week and forwarded his resignation letter to the PM. While serving under the Nawaz Sharif government, Hussain had made significant contributions to the water sector and strengthened the department. He had also been appointed by former prime minister Nawaz Sharif for a five-year term, which will end in 2021. Hussain's tenure was extended by the PTI government, which extended his term for an additional five-year period.
Despite the recent scandals, Wapda continues to work on mega projects. The National Accountability Bureau has summoned Wapda's former chairman, retired Lt. Gen Hussain, to testify before a federal panel on June 6. Gen Hussain faces charges of misappropriating $703 million, slowing down mega power projects, and forcing wrong payments to contractors. The price of Tarbela-4 has increased to 1410 megawatts and has become Pakistan's most expensive mega power project.
WAPDA is a government-owned public utility responsible for water and power supply in Pakistan. While it does not manage thermal power, it does oversee the Tarbela and Mangla dams. The WAPDA's rating has dropped to a negative level since Gen Hussain was forced to resign. Despite Hussain's efforts to defend himself, the agency cannot take loans for the construction of dams.
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