Third party accounting: Laptop, Ujala and Metro Bus projects to be examined

Punjab govt and Transparency International Pakistan sign an MoU, report to be made public, chief minister promises.

LAHORE:

The Punjab government and Transparency International Pakistan (TIP) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Thursday. Under this MoU, TIP would review the rules and regulations and the transparency of the laptop scheme, the Ujala programme and the metro bus project. TIP will present its report before the end of government’s term.

On behalf of Punjab government, Energy Secretary Jehanzeb Khan, Higher Education Secretary Ijaz Munir and Lahore Development Authority Director General Ahad Cheema signed the MoU. On behalf of TIP its Chairman Sohail Muzaffar and Executive Director Saad Rashid signed the document.

Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif said the Punjab government had promoted transparency in governance and a corruption-free culture in the province. He said all development projects had been completed in a transparent manner during the last five years.



He said the government had presented three projects costing Rs36 billion for TIP review. He said the TIP report would also say how much the Metro Bus Project had cost and whether any rules were violated.

He said the people had a right to know whether there had been any irregularity in the use of public resources. He said the only way to ensure transparent use of resources was to introduce ruthless accountability.

The CM said the relevant documents would be promptly provided to TIP. He promised that the report would be laid before the people.

Sharif said that foreign investment worth billions of rupees had come to the province because of the Punjab government’s transparent policies.



He said the government’s detractors had carried advertisement worth millions of rupees against the Metro Bus Project. He said a rapid mass transit system costing Rs240 billion had been approved by his predecessor. He said Rs1.2 billion was spent on a feasibility report. Out of this Rs400 million was allegedly embezzled.

He said his government had arrested the embezzler from Dubai and recovered the money.

TIP Chairman Sohail Muzaffar said that under the MoU signed with the Punjab government, transparency of Metro Bus project, Ujala programme and laptops scheme would be reviewed. He added that any signs of illegal favours, corruption and nepotism in the completion of these projects would be revealed.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 1^st, 2013.