Illegal tenders: Two arrests made over Rs7b arms deal

PESHAWAR: National Accountability Bureau (NAB) arrested Arshad Majeed, a contractor, and police budget officer Javed Khan on Friday for their alleged involvement in irregularities in a Rs7 billion procurement deal in the year 2009-10. The contract was for arms, ammunition, related equipment and vehicles for the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) police. Several high-ranking police officials, in service and retired, also allegedly involved are expected to be arrested in the near future. NAB had authorised an inquiry against senior K-P police officers and others for suspected embezzlement in the procurement approved by the K-P government in 2001. Over Rs7 billion were released by the federal and provincial government for this. The inquiry revealed violations by the purchase committee in awarding tenders to favourite contractors. Most of the procurements were made through a contractor with no previous experience of supplying such items and for which payments were made in advance. The inspection committee was also found responsible for not carrying out trials of weapons and equipment.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 23^rd, 2013.