LAHORE, Jan 26: The Pakistan Engineering Council disputed on Saturday the Sindh government’s right to blacklist the National Engineering Services Pakistan (Nespak).

In a letter to the Sindh government, it said that the PEC “is the only authority to determine professional misconduct and subsequent action against a consulting engineer.”

It also asked for an immediate withdrawal of the decision. “Normally, a procedure to resolve a dispute is written in the agreement prior to staring the work. In the absence of such clause, the Sindh government could have invoked the Professional Liability Clause according to the law. But declaring a consultant engineer black listed is the sole right of the PEC under Article-20 of the PEC Act-V of 1976.”

The PEC further asked the Sindh government to furnish details of its complaints against Nespak so that a proper decision could be taken.

The Nespak on its part also cried foul after being black listed by the Sindh government. “There is something more than what meets the eyes,” a Nespak official claimed.

The Supreme Court has also set a procedure for black listing a company that has not been observed by the Sindh government, he said.

The company went into damage control exercise on Friday when its MD spoke to Sindh governor and offered to hold an independent inquiry into the matter. The governor reportedly promised an early decision.

About the dispute, the Nespak official said that the company was hired for consultancy services for a few housing colonies. Interruption in release of funds and undue delays in implementation of plans forced the Nespak to opt out. It requested the Sindh government in 1998 and the contract was terminated in October 200. The termination letter did not include any of the allegations levelled by Sindh now.

The official said that the decision has been motivated by Nespak’s successful bid for two projects — the Greater Karachi Bulk Water Supply Scheme and a few roads and bridge projects by the Karachi Development Authority worth billions of rupees.