Consultant exits Parliament Lodges extension project

Senate subpanel tells CDA to submit a report within a month

The top civic authority of the federal capital has been asked to submit a report explaining why the consultant hired for the extension of the Parliament Lodges has decided to quit the project before it could be completed.

This was directed during a meeting of a sub-committee of the Senate House Committee. The meeting was chaired by Senator Mir Muhammad Yousuf Badini at the Parliament Lodges on Monday.

The meeting discussed in detail the process of retendering a contract for constructing the additional blocks of the lodges.

During the hearing, Senator Badini said that the Capital Development Authority (CDA) needs to present a report on why the consultant left the project and that the report will have to be submitted to the parent committee as the time frame for the sub-committee has expired.

The panel also expressed its displeasure over CDA’s lax attitude towards the hiring of a new consultant for the project while relieving the one which was previously working on the project.

CDA officials explained that the consultant hired previously had been pressuring the authority to end the contract. It was revealed that the consultant had already received 75 per cent of the payment.

The sub-committee, however, noted that the previous consultant can only be relieved after affixing responsibility on all those involved in project irregularities. The panel further asserted that hiring of the consultant was against the rules; hence all those involved in appointing him will have to be taken to task.

In addition to this, irregularities committed by the consultant during the appointment have to be investigated as well, senators said.

The Senate sub-panel directed the CDA to form an external enquiry committee in consultation with the CDA chairman to investigate the matter and submit a report to the parent committee within a month.

Regarding the hiring of a new consultant, the sub-committee was informed that the CDA Engineering Wing was overseeing the hiring process. A case has been submitted to the CDA Board in its meeting on December 18, and it had approved the summary.

CDA officials told the meeting that the cost estimates for the construction of the additional block of the Parliament Lodges will be prepared after the appointment of the new consultant.

Once CDA has estimated prices, it would invite tenders for the project.

The meeting was attended by Senator Kulsoom Parveen, Senator Sardar Muhammad Shafiq Tareen and senior officers from the CDA along with all concerned. 

Published in The Express Tribune, February 4^th, 2020.