Islamabad Airport construction: No FIR against those responsible for irregularities,
 

ISLAMABAD: The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) was, on Thursday, told that despite the massive and mega-irregularities of billions of rupees that caused a loss of billions of rupees to the national exchequer in the construction of the new Islamabad Airport, the Aviation Division rather than registering the cases of criminal negligence only demoted officers from their posts despite the recommendations of the inquiry report of the FIA. Even the FIA sent request to the Interior Ministry in 2015 to register the cases against those who were responsible for criminal negligence that raised the total cost of the new Islamabad Airport from Rs37 billion to Rs105 billion.The PAC held its meeting Thursday in which the FIA submitted its detailed report of inquires made on the construction of the new Islamabad Airport in which mega corruption and massive irregularities were pointed out.In its inquiry report, the FIA highlighted the issues that include the faulty PC-1, which was incomplete, inaccurate estimates and defective as its original cost was Rs37 billion, but it was completed in Rs105 billion and even yet 98 percent completed.Second, the FIA stated that the inaugural of the Airport was made in haste in 2006 due to political pressure and the project was distributed in 17-packages and these packages did not have any connection with each other as well as no sequence in the packages. The FIA in its report stated that the land was procure in hast and seems in the pressure and low standard services rendered by consultant.The FIA report also stated that the passenger terminal initiated to cater nine million passengers, but, later on, it was decided to construct it to cater 16 million passengers annually then again finalised to cater nine million passengers annually that caused the loss to national exchequer.The FIA Inquiry report also stated that the construction of two runways and rather than following the international standards of gap of 1km between the two runways they were constructed parallel with a gap of 225metres to each other and now only one is operational and caused a loss of Rs3.24 billion to the national exchequerThe FIA pinpointed seven high officials responsible and suggested the criminal action against them.Replying to PAC, the officials of Aviation Division said the departmental action was taken against three engineers, which were demoted from their grades.PAC Chairman Shahbaz Sharif expressed his surprise saying that those who caused a loss of billions of rupees to national exchequer were given the punishment of demotion from their grade. But the officials of the Aviation Division did not reply to the question when asked why the criminal cases were not registered and whether these engineers were responsible.PAC referred this audit para and inquiry report of the FIA to the subcommittee headed by Syed Fakhar Imam, which was already looking into the matter of audit paras relating to new Islamabad Airport. The PAC chairman hoped that the sub-committee would come up its report on whole matter soon.Meanwhile, the issue of change in the joint venture of the companies for the construction of the New Islamabad Airport also came up before PAC, and the committee expresses its dissatisfaction over the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority as its officials, including the managing director failed to give satisfy reply to the members of the committee.During the meeting, PAC raised the question whether the Joint venture could change its partner after signing agreement of construction of the new Islamabad Airport and also whether the payments could be made. Though the PPRA MD declared the change in joint venture after getting the contract as not possible and illegal, saying that though the minor changes could be made in the agreement after issuance of the tender notice yet the joint ventures could not be replaced with any other.However, the FIA which investigated the matter and give the clean chit on this issue has established through the PPRA rules on its website that the joint ventures could be replaced with the permission of employer and there was no violations of rules.When the PAC chairman and members continuously made the queries that what the FIA was saying with quoting the rule which was listed on the PPRA’s own website, the PPRA officials admitted it but said that they have another interpretation on it.When the question raised the efficiency of the PPRA, the officials said the PPRA administration always changed with the change of the government. But the members questioned that what does it relates with the efficiency of the PPRA as it was not a political body, but the independent authority and they should knew about the PPRA rules.Khawaja Asif again stressed the need to revisit the whole PPRA rules with saying these were hurdles in the business.Later, PAC Chairman Shahbaz Sharif decided to refer the audit para to the subcommittee headed by Syed Fakhar Imam.http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/com/cwEr/~4/5MgWDBqkWU8

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