KARACHI, Aug 7: The Port Qasim Authority (PQA) board of directors has approved the hiring of a tug and pilot boat badly needed for handling large size vessels during the monsoon season, official sources said.

The PQA issued a tender late last year for hiring of these crafts and approved a bid in May offered by a foreign company. However, the port authorities in the process of tendering did not take its board into confidence, which was a procedural mistake.

As a result of this the entire tendering process was disputed and the ministry of ports and shipping had to hold inquiry. An officer of PQA was also suspended by the then minister of ports and shipping for overlooking the procedure.

However, the ministry then asked the PQA to go for fresh tendering in order to get a better offer for hiring the required crafts.

After the induction of the elected government the PQA board voluntarily resigned in April to pave the way for a new board, which was formed in July 2008.

The first meeting of the new board held on August 6, gave unanimous approval for hiring of crafts offered through the old tender because bids offered under new tender were quite high.

The board also reinstated the suspended officer Commodore Naeem, who was punished for overlooking procedural requirements. Consequently, after getting ex-post facto approval from the new board the tug ‘Smith Lorie’ with bollard pull 60 ton and pilot boat ‘Smit Qasim’ with a speed of 20 knot already operating in the port have got the legal cover.