ISLAMABAD: In order to shift the blame, the top management of the Capital Development Authority (CDA) has initiated inquiry against the junior officers in Parliament Lodges furniture case.

The authority awarded a contract to a firm, General Furnishers Company, against Rs67.35 million in June 2014 for purchase of furniture on single tender basis.

But on January 15, another furniture company challenged the award of contract in the Islamabad High Court (IHC).

The CDA management in the reply to the court on January 30, said the charges would be framed against the responsible officials. It also informed the court that the contract had been cancelled.

The CDA management in last week of February charge-sheeted Sardar Nawaz, Deputy Director Parliament Lodges, Ali Murad former director , Parliament Lodges and Ali Anwar Gopang, director Parliament Lodges for awarding the contract.

The authority awarded contract on a single tender basis

According to the charges, Sardar Nawaz, DD parliament lodges issued the letter of intent to the contractor on July 25, 2014, without permission from the chairman.

The reply said the DD knew that the government had not allocated funds for this purpose, but he went ahead with the process of awarding the contract.

Besides, the CDA management formed a two-member inquiry committee headed by Wasim Ahmed Khan, Member Planning with Aijaz Siddique, director, Quality Service (QS) of engineering wing as its member.

On the other hand, the official documents available with Dawn confirms that director Quality Service of Engineering Wing Aijaz Siddique was one of the signatories to the permission letter for the award of contract to General Furniture Company. Apart from member engineering, the permission letter had also the signatures of the CDA chairman and member finance. The documents said the House and Library Committee of the Parliament had directed the CDA to grant the contract to the company.

At the same time the director general (services) in the CDA engineering wing had recommended to the member engineering on June 17, 2014, to award the work on single quotation basis as it is allowed under the PPRA rules.

The CDA chairman approved the proposal on the same date. Soon after the official document returned to the member engineering’s office on June 18, 2014, the permission was conveyed to the officials concerned for awarding the contract to the said firm. The senior officials declined to comment over the situation.

Sardar Nawaz, DD Parliament Lodges,however, said they were being made scapegoat.

“Actually member engineering had agreed to the parliamentary committee to award the contract to the the General Furnishers. He then issued verbal directives to us to process the case, but the approval was given by the competent authorities,” said Sardar Nawaz.

Meanwhile, member engineering Wasim Ahmed Khan, head of the inquiry committee, told Dawn that he had not received the relevant documents but assured that the case will be decided on merit.

Published in Dawn, March 6th, 2015

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