ISLAMABAD, Nov 16: Responding to a report in the Nov 16 issue of Dawn about urea purchase contracts finalized by the Trading Corporation of Pakistan, a TCP spokesman has said that the quantity of urea was increased to 300,000 metric tons in order to meet the rabi crop demand as well as shortage on account of non-performance in earlier contracts of 175,000 metric tons.

This, the spokesman said, was done in accordance with the tender provision which clearly stated that the quantity could be increased. He denied that the TCP had not followed directives of the Economic Coordination Committee of the cabinet and had ignored the method of import, and stated that the standard procedure had been adopted.

The TCP spokesman also clarified that all bids had been considered including the lowest ones. However, non-conforming bids were rejected, as well as those where the prices quoted were much below the international ruling prices.

The spokesman refuted the allegation that conditions of tender had been changed in evaluation of bids.