ISLAMABAD: The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on Tuesday ordered blacklisting of a Karachi-based firm for its poor performance in up-gradation of the Multan International Airport (MIA).

The Engineering Consultant Inter­national Limited (ECIL) had designed Shershah bridge in Karachi which collapsed soon after its inauguration in 2008.

As per audit report, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) had engaged the ECIL in 2010-2011 for upgrading the MIA which included construction of passenger terminal building and allied electrical and mechanical works. The auditors said that because of the poor performance of the consultancy firm, the public exchequer suffered Rs124 million loss.

The report said prequalification of the contractors was not done in accordance with rules and the contractor did not complete designs as per contract provision and designs of air traffic control and fire crash rescue buildings were also not finalised timely which caused the delay in completion of project.

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When the PAC chairman Syed Khurshid Ahmed Shah took up the audit para regarding up-gradation of MIA, Mohammad Ali Gardezi, Secretary of the Aviation Division, briefed him about the project.

However, when Mr Gardezi informed the committee that this was the same firm which had designed Shershah bridge in Karachi, the PAC chairman Shah, without any further query, ordered blacklisting of the firm.

Published in Dawn, April 29th, 2015

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