Daily Times

KARACHI: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has initiated an investigation into violations of the rules and regulations of Sindh Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (SPPRA) in awarding a contract for construction of bridge over railway line at Jamshoro Phatak.

Local Government Department (LGD) Sindh had awarded this project to Qalander Bux Abro and Company (QBA) with a single tender inquiry, according to the NAB’s letter.

This is a sheer violation of rules and regulations of SPPRA as the tender was awarded to a company without adopting an open tender process besides without taking into account the credibility of the company for its expertise in civil construction engineering work, stated Amir Butt, Additional Director and Staff Officer for Director General NAB Karachi.

After receiving numerous complaints, the NAB has written several letters to SPPRA and Project Director LGD asking them to submit all relevant documents and papers along with qualification standard and standing of the construction company.

Butt further informed that National Accountability Bureau has also written letters to Managing Director SSPRA Karachi and Project Director LGD for maintaining the transparency and merit in the subject tender.

Acting on another complaint regarding malpractices in the bridge construction matter, National Accountability Bureau has sent letters to Niaz Soomro, Project Director LGD and QBA, but both have failed to reply in clarity on the subject in question, Amir added.

National Accountability Bureau is currently conducting two other inquiries against Niaz Soomro regarding reported malpractices in different development project works in Karachi and Sindh besides complaints lodged by various civil work contractors.

Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Chairman Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) inaugurated the bridge over railway line at Jamshoro Phatak with flyover and loops at Indus Highways N-55 in February 2017.

The bridge took one year for completion with a cost of Rs 3 billion, National Accountability Bureau official said.