Govt to sue consultants over NJHP tunnel fault

Pakistan is considering suing consultants of the Neelum-Jhelum Hydropower Project (NJHP) for repeated faults in the Rs500 billion worth of the project, depriving the nation of a cheaper and environment-friendly power supply. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif would take a final decision to this effect in consultation with key stakeholders as a special committee on the subject also looks into expanding the investigation to contractors about cracks in the head race tunnel of the 969MW power project located near Azad Kashmir’s capital Muzaffarabad. Neelum-Jhelum Consultants is a joint venture comprising MWH USA (lead firm), NORPLAN (Norway) and NESPAK, ACE & NDC of Pakistan, according to the Ministry of Water Resources, while its contractor is a consortium of two Chinese firms — CGGC and CMEC.