Corruption: CM orders inquiry into alleged irregularities

MPA claims district govt gave contracts to unqualified contractors.

FAISALABAD: Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif on Sunday ordered an inquiry into alleged irregularities that the city district government had had illegally awarded contracts in the Faisalabad district.

The inquiry was ordered on the complaint of MPA Mian Tahir Jameel who alleged that the Faisalabad District Roads Highway Division had been given Rs1.45 billion for the project. He said the tenders were awarded on February 4.

The MPA alleged that the deputy district officer concerned had awarded various contracts to his cousins, brothers and nephews by showing them contractors on paper.

Jameel said that the tenders on February 4 were not awarded in a fair competition among reputed firms. He said the tenders were awarded in a private meeting.

He said, “There are certain prerequisites a firm needs to meet to qualify for being part of the auction of contracts. This condition was not met by most of participating firms, including the Mishal Construction Company and Munawwar & Brothers.”

Jameel said these firms were told to fulfill the requirement later, which was a violation of the mandated procedure.

He said the designs and estimates for these contracts, too, were not prepared by the Road Research Laboratory Lahore. Nor were these cleared by the Traffic Survey of the Planning and Designing Wing, he added.

These contracts were awarded with consultation and collaboration of all district officers, who, he said, were clearly biased in awarding contracts.

Jameel requested the chief minister to order an inquiry into the irregularities and suggested that all the contracts should be cancelled.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 10^th, 2014.