Purchase of inferior paper for polls under FIA probe
Three purchase orders with 100% advance payments was issued by PCP
LAHORE:
The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Punjab chapter has started probe into the massive misappropriation in Printing Corporation of Pakistan (PCP) on account of procurement of substandard and poor quality paper for printing of ballot papers for the Local Bodies Elections, documents available with The Express Tribune revealed.
Managing Director PCP and his team allegedly bungled millions of rupees during their tenure in various cases, particularly case regarding purchase of the substandard and low quality paper amounting to Rs236 million for the printing work of LB Elections from personal favoured mills on 100% advance payment. Director FIA Punjab Dr Usman Anwar while talking to The Express Tribune said that probe has been initiated against heavy purchases of the substandard and poor quality paper at high rates for LB Elections. In November 2013, the incumbent federal government had sanctioned Rs3 billion for the LB elections of which Rs1 billion was given to the PCP for procurement of paper and other material.
The PCP is the main source of printing ballot papers for general elections, local bodies elections and other official stationery.
According to FIA officials as well as documents available with The Express Tribune, the PCP had issued three purchase orders to three different firms by giving them 100% advance payment in violation of the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA) rules. Interestingly, near 40% order was given to a company whose paper proved substandard and of low quality in the 2013 elections and a fine of Rs1.2 million was imposed on it.
Sources familiar with the matter are of the view that the firm should have been blacklisted at that time but due to a favour of officers of the PCP, only a small amount was deducted from the security deposit of the firm. The same company succeeded in obtaining fresh purchase order and again provided low quality and substandard paper.
The extracts of the source report, a copy of which is available with The Express Tribune stated that the corruption of high magnitude is taking place under the nose of PCP.
The report further stated that the purchase of paper on 100% advance payment was made without observing the codal formalities by creating the urgency/crisis to receive large amount in millions of rupees as kick-back or commission.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 12th, 2014.
The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Punjab chapter has started probe into the massive misappropriation in Printing Corporation of Pakistan (PCP) on account of procurement of substandard and poor quality paper for printing of ballot papers for the Local Bodies Elections, documents available with The Express Tribune revealed.
Managing Director PCP and his team allegedly bungled millions of rupees during their tenure in various cases, particularly case regarding purchase of the substandard and low quality paper amounting to Rs236 million for the printing work of LB Elections from personal favoured mills on 100% advance payment. Director FIA Punjab Dr Usman Anwar while talking to The Express Tribune said that probe has been initiated against heavy purchases of the substandard and poor quality paper at high rates for LB Elections. In November 2013, the incumbent federal government had sanctioned Rs3 billion for the LB elections of which Rs1 billion was given to the PCP for procurement of paper and other material.
The PCP is the main source of printing ballot papers for general elections, local bodies elections and other official stationery.
According to FIA officials as well as documents available with The Express Tribune, the PCP had issued three purchase orders to three different firms by giving them 100% advance payment in violation of the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA) rules. Interestingly, near 40% order was given to a company whose paper proved substandard and of low quality in the 2013 elections and a fine of Rs1.2 million was imposed on it.
Sources familiar with the matter are of the view that the firm should have been blacklisted at that time but due to a favour of officers of the PCP, only a small amount was deducted from the security deposit of the firm. The same company succeeded in obtaining fresh purchase order and again provided low quality and substandard paper.
The extracts of the source report, a copy of which is available with The Express Tribune stated that the corruption of high magnitude is taking place under the nose of PCP.
The report further stated that the purchase of paper on 100% advance payment was made without observing the codal formalities by creating the urgency/crisis to receive large amount in millions of rupees as kick-back or commission.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 12th, 2014.