New IHC building: Court puts contractor on notice

Committee says tender process was not transparent.

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has directed contractor of the new IHC building project to submit its reply after a committee found that pre-qualification process was not transparent.

The committee formed to examine the award of the construction contract for the IHC building complex in Sector G-5 has on Thursday submitted its report before a division bench saying that the pre-qualification of contractor “Interhome” was not transparent.

Following the report, the division bench, comprising Justice Athar Minallah and Justice Aamer Farooq, issued notices to Interhome with directions to submit a reply.

Earlier, the court, with the consent of the parties, had formed a committee comprising Nespak, housing ministry, and public procurement regulatory authority (PPRA) officials to determine if the contract award could be considered transparent or if rules were violated.

In the report, the committee stated that prequalification of the contractor was not done in accordance with PPRA rules. The committee also recommended action against the official who initiated the bidding process for the project.

In the last five years of executed works, the report stated, Interhom secured 9.34 out of 35 points, which is far below the required 17.5 points. “Significantly lower than required mark in experience record,” the report reads.

In its recommendation, the committee stated that though Interhom was financially sound, they have shown weakness in experience terms. “The committee is restrained from recommending [Interhom] for prequalification,” it stated. The committee was formed after a private construction firm, Gondal construction, had alleged that the contract was awarded in an illegal manner.

Gondal construction had maintained that the contract was awarded by the PWD in violation of PPRA rules.

The new IHC complex project began in September 2012 and has yet to be completed.

The court will resume hearings on April 8.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 3^rd, 2015.