Ex, current MPs trade barbs over cancelled tenders

Contractors protest against cancelling of bids for water supply schemes

SHABQADAR: Blame game continues between ex-MNA Bilal Rehman and the sitting MNA Sajjid Mohmand over cancellation of millions of rupees worth developmental work tenders of government contractors in Mohmand tribal districts.

The government contractors have been protesting against the provincial government for cancelling tenders awarded earlier for development works.

On Friday former MNA and senator Hilal Rehman’s supporters staged protest against the MNA Sajjid Mohmand on third consecutive day in Ghallanai in front of Mohmand Press Club.

The protestor accused MNA Sajid Mohmand and K-P Local Government Minister Shahram Khan Tarakai for cancelling their contracts.

They said that on direction of Sajid Mohmand and Shahram Tarakai, the local government had cancelled about Rs650 million worth of development funds for water supply schemes tenders for the second time.

Ex-MNA Rehman’s secretary Akhtar Shah and Mohmand Welfare Organisation President Mir Afzal Mohmand led the protest.

They said that Rehman had got funds approved from the then federal government for water supply scheme in Mohmand tribal district. They added that once funds were stopped due to election by election commission. Later, when Sajjid was elected MNA he objected over the schemes when the department floated its tenders.

Upon this the department initiated inquiry into it and after completion of inquiry department ordered re-tendering of the contracts for water supply schemes.

However, again the tenders were cancelled.

The protestors blamed Tarakai for cancelling the award of contract. They said that the local government minister had visited Mohmand a day before the tender and on his advice the officials concerned stopped the tender process. They have threatened of a protest in front of Governor House if the bids were cancelled.

Meanwhile, MNA Sajjid Mohmand, responding to the protest, posted on Facebook that schemes in the tender were specified for one tehsil only and left the most deserving area like Khwaizai Baizai and lower Mohmand parched. He also accused the protestors of large scale corruption in these schemes and added that he would ask NAB to open inquiries in all schemes completed in past 10 years when Bilal Rehman was the MNA.

Sajjid added that being an elected representatives of the tribal district he was not consulted in these schemes and it will not be wasted but spent for the needy.

Rehman responding to Sajjid said that he had arranged the funds for these schemes and Sajjid had no right to interfere. If Sajjid wants to serve Mohmand, he should bring his own funds from provincial government.

Political observers of Mohmand have criticised the attitude of the two public representatives saying that the tussle was not in the interst of the people of the tribal district.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 23^rd, 2019.