Pakistan: PAC Seeks Details of NHA’s Musharraf-era Contracts

The committee met at Parliament House to review the performance of the NHA, Employees Old Age Benefit Institution (EOBI), Karachi Port Trust (KPT), Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources and its subordinate institutions. The committee was of the view that the record would itself prove allegations that they were not awarded in a transparent manner. Contracts for construction of roads, highways, bridges, repairs, establishment of CNG and petrol stations, service areas and other facilities were awarded purely on favouritism and the former president only benefited his dear ones, the committee observed.

It termed the Islamabad-Lahore Motorway a national asset and said the NHA had failed to take good care of it. PAC members pointed out that restaurants on the motorway were overcharging, repair work was below standard and no attention was being paid to the maintenance of the roads.

The committee also told NHA authorities to present a comprehensive report on the number of the authority’s vehicles being used by ministry officials, the number of ghost employees and details of its camp offices across the country. Concerning the pace of work, the NHA chairman informed PAC that most sections of the motorway were incomplete and behind schedule due to contractual issues. It was informed that a survey was being conducted to identify encroachments along the motorway, after which stern action would be taken against illegal filling stations and other construction. The committee accepted the replies submitted by the EOBI chairman against corruption charges, levelled on the institution in a private TV talk show, and said that committee was fully satisfied with his viewpoint.

Synthetic gas: PAC commended the just stand taken by the Sui Southern Gas Pipeline Limited (SSGPL) management to block the sketchy deal of mingling synthetic gas (liquefied petroleum gas) with natural gas. The SSGPL informed PAC that the proposal, backed by former petroleum adviser, was evaluated purely on merit and it was found that mingling of LPG with natural gas and its supply to CNG stations as well as other consumers would be harmful for appliances and machinery. The petroleum secretary informed PAC that no LPG quota had been allotted during the present government’s tenure, but private producers were doing that. The committee was of the view that the current signature bonus and other monopolistic practices were resulting in unbearable increase in the price of the fuel.

The committee also commended the efforts by the KPT management for the measures taken to safeguard the federal government’s precious land in Karachi. The PAC also extended its full support for the KPT to get its encroached land cleared.

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