The contracting agreement between PSO and BTCPL (Bakri Trading Company Pakistan (Pvt) Ltd) is full of clauses which deprives the need for a balance contract to create the safeguards for the buyer and seller.

The contract of five billion dollars was not discussed in the Finance Committee and was also not brought for any ratification or direct discussion in the board of management of PSO.

The award of tender without competition bidding and without observing the rules of Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA) amounts to contempt of court, announced by the Supreme Court in one of the judgments related to the violation of rules in awarding the tenders.

Apart from violation of the rules towards transparency, the most important is a so-called blending facility of BTCPL — the niche, which itself is challengeable and cannot sustain the contract and its clauses built in for the purpose to suit a single party.

This questions the possible maintenance of personal gains and comes under the expression of abuse of authority and position for personal gains.

ARSHAD H. ABBASIIslamabad