ISLAMABAD: The Capital Development Authority (CDA) chairman has set up a committee that will hold an inquiry against five officials accused of fraudulently floating tenders and allotting them to their favourites.

The inquiry committee comprises Ejaz Siddiqui, director, and Khalida Parveen, deputy director (Audit-II).

According to initial investigation, the accused officials had invited four tenders in June which were neither advertised in leading newspapers nor did they appear on the websites of Pakistan Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA) and the CDA.

The tenders involving an amount of Rs8.73 million were invited for the development and maintenance of the city’s parks and greenbelts. The development works were approved in the annual budget plan.

The accused officials are deputy director (landscape), director (parks), audit officer (environment), divisional accounts officer and cashier.

They allegedly allotted tenders to their favourites

The investigation report claimed that the accused had issued three or four tender forms to each of their favourite contractors to give an impression that the tendering process was free and fair. The tenders were opened on the date and time mentioned in the advertisement that appeared in small newspapers.

But the audit officer, who was the financial controller and deputed to scrutinise the tenders, opened these tenders without fulfilling his duty which established his connivance in the fraudulent practice.

The management of the civic body has acknowledged that since the tenders were not advertised in major newspapers, the bidding process was fraudulent.

“Though the amount involved in the project was small, stern actions against all corrupt elements will improve things in the CDA,” said Mustafain Kazmi, member environment.

“Besides, action against these officials will deter the enlisted contractors from dragging the authority to the courts for cancelling the bidding process,” he added.

Disciplinary action has already been initiated against the accused officers and the entire process has been stopped.

Published in Dawn, October 1st , 2014