Pakistan: Karot Hydro-02/Jhelum River

Date Filed
24 Aug 2019
Status
Open
Phase
Compliance
Country
Pakistan

Case Tracker

Eligibility
Eligibility
Assessment
Assessment
Dispute Resolution
Compliance
Appraisal
Investigation
Status as of January 24, 2022
CURRENT Status
Investigation (COMPLIANCE)
Status as of January 24, 2022

Complaint Overview

Complainant

Former employee.

Concerns

Severance pay, discrimination against local workers.

Cross-Cutting Issues
Labor Water Discrimination

Project Information

Region
Middle East, Central Asia & Türkiye, Afghanistan, Pakistan
Institution
IFC
Name & Number
Karot Hydro 36008
Company
Karot Power Company Limited (KPCL)
Sector
Infrastructure
Department
Infrastructure
Category
A
Commitment

$100 million loan

Synopsis

Project Overview

IFC has an active project with Karot Power Company Limited (KPCL), a special-purpose vehicle incorporated in Pakistan and majority owned by China Three Gorges South Asia Investment Limited (CSAIL). The project involves providing a long-term corporate loan facility of up to US$100 million to support the construction, operation, and maintenance of a 720MW run-of-the-river hydropower plant being developed on the Jhelum River, in Pakistan. 

Complaint

The complaint was submitted to CAO by a former employee of the Karot project. The complaint raises concerns about lack of payment of exit wages, as well as discrimination against local workers in relation to access to drinking water, conditions of accommodations and transportation at the project site. Irregularities about employment contracts and salary increases are also mentioned.

Action

The complaint was found eligible for further assessment on August 3, 2020. During the assessment process, CAO lost contact with the complainant and was unable to re-establish communication and advance the process. Since the dispute resolution process requires the respective complainant and the IFC client to voluntarily agree to participate in mediation, this case was referred to our Compliance function, in line with our 2013 Operational Guidelines.  

The Karot Hydro 02 and 03 cases have been merged. 

Status

A compliance appraisal was completed under the 2013 Operational Guidelines, based on the transitional arrangements agreed upon in the adoption of the 2021 CAO policy. CAO conducted a preliminary analysis of the concerns raised by the complainants regarding labor issues. A summary of the analysis related to each issue is available in the appraisal report. The report is published in English and Urdu, accessible via the “Case Documents” section below this page. 


  
Status as of January 27, 2022 

Case Documents

  • Assessment Report
    Assessment Report
    Nov 01, 2020
    English
    Assessment Report
    Assessment Report
    Nov 01, 2020
    Urbu
    Assessment Report
    IFC Response to CAO Assessment Report
    Nov 20, 2020
    English
    IFC Response to CAO Assessment Report
  • Compliance

    Appraisal Report
    Compliance Appraisal Report
    Jan 24, 2022
    English
    Compliance Appraisal Report
    Compliance Appraisal Report
    Jan 24, 2022
    Urdu
    Compliance Appraisal Report
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