Contempt: Show-cause notice issued to PWD officials

Released Rs3.5 billion for former PM’s constituency.

ISLAMABAD:

The former prime minister’s focused development on his constituency has gotten a number of government officials in hot water. The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Monday issued show-cause notices to Public Works Department (PWD) officials in response to a contempt application for releasing over Rs3 billion for development projects in the constituency of former prime minister Raja Pervez Ashraf.

IHC Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui issued notices to PWD DG Shah Din Sheikh, Superintendent Sohail Akhtar, XEN Atiqueur Rehman, Federal Treasury Officer (FTO) Tasawar Hussain and acting FTO Zahid Mughal and asked them to explain why they violated court orders.

The violation refers to a decision from November 2, 2012, where the same court granted a stay order after a private contractor, Gondal, had challenged an award given to other contractors in violation of Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA) rules. Former PM Ashraf had approved Rs3 billion worth of development schemes in his constituency for 2012-13.

Gondal, through his counsel Nayab Hassan, maintained that before the completion of the previous government’s term on March 16, 2013, PWD officials had released Rs3.5 billion to start these development projects despite a stay order from the IHC.

He said the contracts were awarded without open bidding, which is mandatory.

After issuing the show cause notices, the court adjourned the case till March 28.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 26^th, 2013.