Cattle market contractor flees after defaulting

A contractor responsible for the sale of sacrificial animals at the Bhatta Chowk cattle market has made himself scarce after defaulting on his remaining payment of Rs8.6 million to the Rawalpindi Cantonment Board (RCB).

The RCB had awarded the now absconding individual a contract worth Rs81 million for the sale of sacrificial animals ahead of Eidul Azha.

On several occasions, the contractor failed to pay monies to the cantonment board as per the contractual obligations. In one such instance, his cheque of Rs6.5 million was dishonoured, after which executive officer Imran Gulzar issued an order to file a complaint against the contractor. Upon hearing the order, the contractor paid the amount in cash.

Similarly, when Rs20 million was not paid the second time, the RCB along with its staff took possession of the market and the contractor deposited the required amount with a deficit of Rs8.6 million. Afterwards, the contractor left the market.

The board again took over the market system for the remaining four days until the end of Eidul Azha.

When contacted, Gulzar said he was confident that the RCB will complete their recovery.

“The contractor had to pay Rs8.6 million in income taxes,” he said. “We are aware that the contractor has earned over and above the total amount spent on the cattle market, and now he is nowhere to be found.”

He further said that since the contractor had left the market, it has been decided that the defaulter and all his partners will be blacklisted. Moreover, in the future, none of them will be able to sign any contract with the RCB.

Meanwhile, the Rawalpindi Waste Management Company(RWMC) had deployed around 3,663 sanitary workers in different areas to keep the district neat and clean during Eidul Azha.

“The RWMC has finalised a comprehensive cleanliness plan to get rid of entrails and offals of animals,” said Managing Director(MD)Owais Manzoor Tarrar.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 10^th, 2022.