ISLAMABAD, March 6: The Senate standing committee on housing and works has unearthed a massive scam in a project for re-development of Hazrat Lal Shahbaz Qalandar’s main shrine in Sehwan and the ‘Dhamal’ court (Phase-I & II) being executed by the National Construction Limited (NCL), a subsidiary of the housing ministry.

The committee at a meeting held here on Thursday asked the NCL to rectify its faults and clear its position within a month without making any demand for additional funds and warned that otherwise the case would be forwarded to the National Accountability Bureau.

Members of the committee headed by Senator Muhammad Ali Brohi have visited the shrine several times over the past three years to assess the pace and quality of work. During the visits, the members found that the dome of the main shrine was leaking and the tiles used in the shrine and the marble used in the ‘Dhamal’ court were of inferior quality.

The committee found that the tiles had faded and although Rs26 million had been paid for top quality marble flooring, the contractor used ‘Afghan white’ instead of ‘Snow white’ marble in the flooring in violation of the terms of the contract.

Similarly, sub-standard marble was used in place of tiles for which the payment had been made.

Work on Phase-I and II of the shrine began in 1994 but it has not been completed in 14 years and visitors and pilgrims still face a lot of problems.

The committee found that there was no arrangement for fresh drinking water and most of visitors had to buy water.

A Senate sub-committee comprising Senators Hafiz Abdul Malik Qadri, Shuja-ul-Mulk, Muhammad Saleh Shah and Syed Muhammad Hussain visited the shrine to assess the quality of work, particularly of the marble used in the ‘Dhamal’ court. It consulted four leading marble dealers of Karachi and found out that exorbitant rates were charged for marble of very poor quality.

They committee decided to punish the contractor and other people associated with the project for not only delaying the project but causing a huge financial loss to the national exchequer.

The executing agency was given one month’s time to complete the project in accordance with the terms of the agreement and for the amount already paid.