By Abdul Ghani

The Balochistan government has submitted key bidding documents and environmental management plans for the Qaisar Wah and Bohra Wah flood management packages to the World Bank for review under the Balochistan Water Security and Productivity Improvement Project, official documents reveal.

According to the Planning and Development Department of Balochistan, the project’s Component-A—focused on flood management in the Kachi Plains—became effective on August 20, 2025, and has since moved into full implementation.

The documents show that the project has moved beyond early paperwork, with major progress recorded in start-up activities, institutional arrangements, procurement, and consultancy recruitment.

A Project Implementation Unit has been established and made operational, while key individual consultants, including financial management, environment, and monitoring and evaluation specialists, have already been taken on board. The hiring of procurement and social specialists is also at an advanced stage.

The Project Operation Manual has been prepared and submitted to the World Bank, while the designated account for the project has become operational, clearing the way for smoother financial processing and implementation.

Two major consultancy assignments — Design Validation and Supervision Consultancy and Monitoring and Evaluation Consultancy — have reached an advanced stage of procurement.

The Environmental and Social Management Plan (ESMP) for the flood dispersal structure at Jalal Khan has already been prepared and approved by the World Bank. Separately, the ESMPs for two major packages, Qaisar Wah and Bohra Wah, have been prepared and submitted to the World Bank for review.

The documents further reveal that bids for Civil Works Package-I, “Jalal Khan Weir,” were opened on June 16, 2026, and technical and financial evaluation is currently underway.

The bidding documents for Qaisar Wah and Bohra Wah have also been prepared and submitted to the World Bank for review, marking a key step toward launching civil works on these flood protection and water management interventions.

The project is expected to improve flood management, water security, and agricultural productivity in the Kachi Plains, an area highly vulnerable to flood damage and water stress. However, the real test will be the pace of procurement and execution, as several major components are still awaiting review, evaluation, or final clearance.

Credit: INP-WealthPk