|
|
|
| March 01, 2007 | Thursday | Safar 11, 1428 |
Varan in the arena again
RAWALPINDI, Feb 28: In a dramatic about-face, the Punjab government has allowed the Varan bus company to participate in the March 2 bidding for launching a new bus service between Islamabad and Rawalpindi.
Varan chief executive Uzma Gul confirmed to Dawn on Wednesday that her company had been permitted to take part in the bidding.
It was not clear what made the provincial government change its mind. The provincial transport authorities seemed confused and declined comment.
Until the day before the authorities stood adamant that Varan would be barred from the bidding as, they said, it had closed its bus service in the past without giving any notice, owed billions to the government and had been illegally occupying a public bus terminal.
Twice this week Secretary Transport Punjab Agha Nadim affirmed to Dawn that Varan would not be allowed to bid as it had been sued in a court for the recovery of Rs4 billion arrears and the vacation of Chur Harpaal bus terminal. This made Varan owners serve a notice on the secretary under the Defamation Ordinance.
However, the more worried about Varan’s return to the arena are the wagon operators who had chased the company out in 2005 by successfully suing it in the Supreme Court. They fear losing the monopoly in the commuter transport between the twin cities once again if the company wins the bid for the new bus service.
Transport industry feels Varan stands a good chance to win the bid.
A rueful president of the wagon operators association, Sultan Awan, termed the decision to admit Varan in the bidding set for Friday “a political patch up between two opponents”.
“Otherwise how could the government allow a bus company declared by it to be a defaulter to take part in the bidding,” he told Dawn.
“Varan owners had been criticising President Musharraf for closing its operations. I am sure they would no more speak ill of the incumbent government after their business is re-launched,” he said.
Sources said the new bus service would ply on the 11 routes approved by the Punjab government a week ago.z
|
|
|
|
