April 30, 2008	Wednesday	Rabi-us-Sani 23, 1429

ISLAMABAD, April 29: All members of Port Qasim Authority’s board of directors have tendered their resignation in protest against renting a tugboat at $8,500 per day without its approval.

They complained that PQA’s own two tugboats bought from Karachi Shipyard at the cost of Rs720 million in 2006 went faulty hardly after 3 months. They were sent back to KSEW for repairs, but have not returned even after the lapse of about one year, a private TV channel reported.

The PQA chairman said that the new tugs were obtained for towing long ships rather than as replacements to the two faulty tugs manufactured in the shipyard.

He insisted that the entire procedure for obtaining the tugs through negotiations at cheaper rate was completed under PPRA rules.—APP