SWABI, Jan 24 The government contractors alleged here on Sunday that the district works and services department had failed to hold open bids for the tenders of various projects.

Addressing a press conference they further alleged that the contractors associated with the Awami National Party (ANP) and the officials concerned had devised a well-calculated strategy to deprive all those contractors who were allied with either the opposition parties or no longer remained in the good books of the ruling party.

The contractors accused the ruling ANP-PPP coalition government of indulging in political victimisation since assuming power.

The practice, they said, badly crippled their businesses and the prospects of using substandard materials had been increased manifold.

Led by Nawab Zada and Shamasur Tamraiz Khan, the government contractors said that usually it happened that the tenders of different projects were advertised in the newspapers and they participated in the bids according to the terms and conditions but now that practice had been eliminated altogether.

They alleged that on the day of the bid neither the officials concerned nor the affiliated contractors came forward and the entire procedure was finalised secretly.