Projects halted till payments made

Punjab govt fails to pay bills worth Rs30b for ongoing government projects causing contractors to halt work.

RAWALPINDI: The Punjab government failed to pay bills worth Rs30 billion for ongoing government projects, causing contractors to halt work on all city projects. Contractors said they would resume work once payments have been made.

Talking to The Express Tribune, Malik Kaleem, a leader of the contractors’ association, said that work on the Judicial Complex and other major projects has been stopped because the government  failed to make the required payments.

According to details provided by the district administration, the Punjab government failed to make payments to the contractors since June 17.

In an emergency meeting, contractors criticised the government for not taking the matter seriously despite repeated appeals. They said they have been depositing bills in the district accounts but no payments have been made so far. “We are under billions of rupees of debt,” said Captain A R latif.

Kaleem, the contractors’ association leader, said the issue will be taken to court and demanded Chief Minister Punjab to take notice of the matter immediately.

Published in The Express Tribune, Septmber 21^st, 2010.