ISLAMABAD: The Capital Development Authority (CDA), while taking notice of an alleged dubious tender for the beautification of four markets worth over Rs1 billion, on Monday suspended four officers for their alleged involvement in the scam.
These officers allegedly added a controversial and dubious clause in the tendering documents, asking construction firms for security clearance.
Sources said at the 11th hour on last Monday, when bids were about to open, CDA Chairman retired Lt. Sohail Ashraf took notice and directed the wing concerned not to open the tender and go for a fresh tendering process. The sources said some construction companies managed to get the security clearance but a large number of others could not due to the shortage of time. Thus, they were deprived of taking part in the bidding.
As a result, the stage was set for only a few companies.
Meanwhile, the CDA chief also ordered an inquiry as why the clause of security clearance was added to the tender documents.
The sources said that member estate Mohammad Zaman Watto conducted an inquiry and pointed out mala fide intention behind the move of adding the security clearance clause. He recommended suspension of the four CDA officers – Director General Infrastructure, Director Market and Road Maintenance (MRM), Deputy Director of MRM and Deputy Director of Procurement and Contracts on account of inefficiency and misconduct. Their suspension orders were issued on Monday.
The CDA recently had called tenders for beautification work in the markets of Aabpara, Kohsar, Super Market and Jinnah Super Market.
“Actually, harsh criteria and rigid clauses hamper healthy conditions as few construction companies get required documents on time,” said a source. He added that it was expected that this condition will discourage healthy competitions amongst the contractors as getting police clearance is not an easy task for all potential bidders.
However, new tenders have been called after removing the controversial clause.
According to tender documents, CDA estimated Rs220 million for the beautification of Aabpara market, Rs84 million for Kohsar Market, Rs318 million for F-6 Markaz and peripheral roads and Rs395 million for beautification of Jinnah Super Market.
It is relevant to note here that in the past too, CDA was accused of awarding tenders through tailormade criteria.
Similarly, last year too, a controversial project surfaced, which was related to construction of boundary walls around four old graveyards worth Rs160 million and CDA officers were caught red-handed in October last year for getting completed the boundary walls project few days before opening the tenders.
When the matter was highlighted with evidence, the CDA took “action” and announced that the graveyard boundary walls tenders had been cancelled. Interestingly, officers involved in that scam ate still playing their role in the “development” of Islamabad as no action was taken against them.
Published in Dawn, June 2nd, 2026
