Misappropriations in CDA: Commission asks for Monal Restaurant’s records
CDA chairman directed to appear in person on November 26.
ISLAMABAD:
The Rs5 million commission formed to probe misappropriations in the Capital Development Authority’s (CDA) affairs began work on Monday by seeking all records of the upmarket Monal Restaurant in Pir Sohawa.
The CDA has until November 23 to submit complete records of the Monal project, including its tender and lease.
The commission also asked CDA Chairman Syed Tahir Shahbaz to appear before them on November 26 and brief them in camera — the hearing will be heard privately, with no media access — about the project.
The three-member commissions is headed by Justice (retired) Sardar Raza Khan. Its other two members are Sakhi Muhammad Kahut and Baqir Ali Rana. The commission had been formed on November 13 by the Islamabad High Court (IHC) in response to three identical petitions filed against alleged corruption in the civic agency. It has three months to complete its proceedings.
The contract for Monal was awarded in former CDA chairman Kamran Lashari’s tenure. The lease was in the name of Luqman Ali Afzal of the Ze Restaurants, a Lahore-based chain of restaurants. He currently owns the restaurant. The place was leased out for a period of 15 years at Rs3.12 million per year, according to news reports. The restaurant started operations in 2006.
Abdul Qadir Memon, the secretary of the commission, said “the commission will examine and scrutinise all projects that have been assigned to it and will complete its report in three months.”
Memon added that all proceedings of the commission will be in camera.
The commission has been empowered to inspect all CDA records and visit certain spots for physical inspection.
In an earlier hearing, IHC Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui had observed that the Monal project was started without a call for tenders. The CDA also ignored other formalities in the award of the tender, Justice Siddiqui said.
There are over 600 cases related to the CDA pending with the IHC and the district court, many alleging corruptions and misappropriations.
Some of the pending cases pertain to the failure to collect Rs350 million from a contractor who did not complete roadwork on IJP Road from Faizabad to Pirwadhai; granting permission for a 47-storey Hyatt hotel complex near Jinnah Convention Centre; Centaurus land allotment; Park Tower land allotment; the LED streetlight project; the Kuri Model village scam; allotments at prime locations like Rawal Dam, Saidpur Model village, Gun Club and the diplomatic enclave; the diplomatic enclave shuttle service contract; D-12 extension and work in E-11 sector; allotment of plots reserved for school to favourites; agrofarm allotments; and the Arts and Craft village scandal.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 20th, 2012.
The Rs5 million commission formed to probe misappropriations in the Capital Development Authority’s (CDA) affairs began work on Monday by seeking all records of the upmarket Monal Restaurant in Pir Sohawa.
The CDA has until November 23 to submit complete records of the Monal project, including its tender and lease.
The commission also asked CDA Chairman Syed Tahir Shahbaz to appear before them on November 26 and brief them in camera — the hearing will be heard privately, with no media access — about the project.
The three-member commissions is headed by Justice (retired) Sardar Raza Khan. Its other two members are Sakhi Muhammad Kahut and Baqir Ali Rana. The commission had been formed on November 13 by the Islamabad High Court (IHC) in response to three identical petitions filed against alleged corruption in the civic agency. It has three months to complete its proceedings.
The contract for Monal was awarded in former CDA chairman Kamran Lashari’s tenure. The lease was in the name of Luqman Ali Afzal of the Ze Restaurants, a Lahore-based chain of restaurants. He currently owns the restaurant. The place was leased out for a period of 15 years at Rs3.12 million per year, according to news reports. The restaurant started operations in 2006.
Abdul Qadir Memon, the secretary of the commission, said “the commission will examine and scrutinise all projects that have been assigned to it and will complete its report in three months.”
Memon added that all proceedings of the commission will be in camera.
The commission has been empowered to inspect all CDA records and visit certain spots for physical inspection.
In an earlier hearing, IHC Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui had observed that the Monal project was started without a call for tenders. The CDA also ignored other formalities in the award of the tender, Justice Siddiqui said.
There are over 600 cases related to the CDA pending with the IHC and the district court, many alleging corruptions and misappropriations.
Some of the pending cases pertain to the failure to collect Rs350 million from a contractor who did not complete roadwork on IJP Road from Faizabad to Pirwadhai; granting permission for a 47-storey Hyatt hotel complex near Jinnah Convention Centre; Centaurus land allotment; Park Tower land allotment; the LED streetlight project; the Kuri Model village scam; allotments at prime locations like Rawal Dam, Saidpur Model village, Gun Club and the diplomatic enclave; the diplomatic enclave shuttle service contract; D-12 extension and work in E-11 sector; allotment of plots reserved for school to favourites; agrofarm allotments; and the Arts and Craft village scandal.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 20th, 2012.