Official’s role in ring road challenged

PEC seeks Commissioner Chatha’s removal as project director

RAWALPINDI:

The Pakistan Engineering Council (PEC) has raised objections to the Rawalpindi commissioner being appointed as director of the ring road project, citing the appointment as a violation of the PEC Act 1976.

The secretary of the PEC, Engineer Dr Nasir Mehmood Khan, sent the protest letter to the secretary of the provincial housing department, demanding the immediate removal of the Rawalpindi Commissioner Liaquat Ali Chatha from the post.

Under the PEC Act, the appointment of non-professionals can result in a penalty of Rs10,000 in addition to six months in prison.

As per Section 27(2) of the Act, such an appointment, on the first conviction, would result in imprisonment for a term which may extend to six months, or with a fine which may extend to Rs5,000, or with both.

“…a second or subsequent conviction, with imprisonment for a term which may extend to one year, or with fine which may extend to ten thousand rupees, or with both,” it adds.

The letter stated that non-professional officials are not eligible to be recruited for any engineering development work based on a ruling by the Supreme Court. Officers appointed in engineering development works must be registered under the Pakistan Engineering Council Act, 1976.

It cited a writ petition, submitted in the apex court in 2015, that invalidates the commissioner’s appointment.

Regarding this, the Balochistan High Court rendered a ruling on a petition filed in 2019. It also gave a ruling in another on petition number 1496 in 2020.

Unrelated officers cannot be appointed in professional engineering works under Section 27 and Section 27(5A) of the Pakistan Engineering Council Act, 1976.

It has been reported that the design of the project has not been finalised. There have been reports that the land has also not been acquired on the road’s planned route.

Durin a recent visit, Punjab’s caretaker chief minister Mohsin Naqvi directed the National Engineering Services Pakistan (NesPak) to prepare the plan.

According to sources, officials have taken notice of this letter with speculation rife that the Rawalpindi Division commissioner would be removed from the post of project director.

Background

The Rawalpindi Ring Road project has suffered from multiple delays over the past 21 years. Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf chief Imran Khan, while prime minister, laid the foundation stone in March 2022 shortly before his ouster.

The 38.3-kilometre road is slated to be finished next year, with construction work resuming starting in earnest last month.

The Frontier Works Oranisation (FWO) acquired the contract last year with a bid of Rs22.8 billion.

The total cost of the project, which was said to have ballooned, was said to be around Rs30 billion. However, the Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) had said it did not have funds and asked the Punjab government for Rs4 billion. Moreover, as per latest reports, the district administration was yet to acquire the land for the road. It has only acquired land from Chak Beli to Adiala, which is 12 kms.

The project was scheduled to be completed in one year. During his visit last week, Naqvi had instructed them to complete it within six months.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 28^th, 2023.