ISLAMABAD, May 8: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has started probing ‘dubious’ allocation of famous restaurants in the tourist spots of the city during the tenure of former President Pervez Musharraf from 2004 to 2009, it has been learnt.
“We have started an investigation into the allocation of these restaurants, beginning from Saidpur village, and the first one facing the probe is Des Perdes Restaurant,” deputy director general FIA Inam Ghani told Dawn on Monday.
It is pertinent to mention that besides Des Perdes, there are other famous restaurants in the village like Polo Lounge, Hot Spot, La Montana and Lahori Chatkhara.
It is being alleged that the Capital Development Authority (CDA) also allocated precious land to a number of eateries at Daman-i-Koh, Pir Sohawa, Shakarparian and other spots.
However, the inquiry against only one restaurant in Saidpur village raises many questions since no other eatery owner has so far been approached by the FIA officials.
But Mr Ghani added: “We will manage the investigation as per rules and go for every restaurant and place where any financial loss has been caused to the national exchequer.”
He added: “The restaurant was given land above the original allocation and there are also allegations of other irregularities.”
The official said they wanted to probe the facts as to why the restaurant was favoured since originally it was not allocated such a large area.
Restaurant business, according to an official of the CDA, saw phenomenal growth with the increase in the city’s population during the last about one decade. A number of restaurants were also opened up in the elite residential areas.
Talking to Dawn, the owner of Des Perdes, Tauqir Ali Khan, who is an internationally-renowned chef from the USA, said:
“Someone is after my restaurant and has intentionally made an effort to create hurdles in my smooth business. I have a degree in culinary and am the only recognised chef from America. I started this business from scratch when nobody was even willing to invest in this village.”
He insisted that his smooth-sailing business was now an eyesore to people who didn’t want it to grow in Pakistan.
“My only crime is to invest in Pakistan though I have a number of opportunities in the US where I have earned not only the degree but also a name in the food business,” added Mr Tauqir.
“Tell me a single violation of rules at this place. I am following all the rules of the civic agency since I am using the open space in the evening without any permanent structures so the accusation of the officials is unfair,” he added.
He said he had even visited the chairman CDA, Farkhand Iqbal, and told him “if anyone has a resume and qualification like me, I am willing to voluntarily leave Pakistan and shift my business to America.”
Meanwhile, according to details shared with this reporter by the FIA, the restaurant is paying Rs57,000 monthly rent to the Capital Development Authority while PPRA rules were violated during the allocation of land to not just Des Perdes but also several other restaurants.
“When the tender advertisement was floated by the CDA for allocation of famous restaurants across the city, no specification was mentioned for competitive bidding and only on the basis of presentation the eateries were allocated,” said another official associated with the investigation. He said CDA had been advised by the agency to submit the relevant record.
The official added that they had received a number of complaints, including from bidders who had failed to get a restaurant in the Saidpur village.
“We will probe the allocation of every restaurant or food area made during the year 2004-08 since there is a suspicion that the process was not transparent,” added the official.
Despite repeated attempts, the chairman of the CDA could not be contacted for comments.
