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Graft in DHA Islamabad’s multi-billion projects alleged - Lahore_Real_Estate - 10-25-2010 03:40 PM
Karachi - As the chief of Public Accounts Committee and leader of opposition in the National Assembly Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan is reported to have taken a serious view on the question of allotments of plots in DHA Islamabad, the Transparency International has alleged the Public Procurement Rule’ violation and prayed the Supreme Court for an action, highly placed sources confided to The Daily Mail.
The investigations show that although the case is old yet it requires to be dispensed with soon. However, the DHA authorities have not shown seriousness to remove anomalies, arresting the trend of corruption and stopping forthwith irregularities in the land allocation, appropriation and allotment.
The Transparency International referred to its various letters on alleged violation by DHA Islamabad and finally the complain was made on 5th July 2010 by overseas buyers at the overseas sector of DHA. A reminder was also sent on 14th October by Transparency International Pakistan.
This state of affairs has earned a bad name to the country and its government and allied subordinate organisations. The Transparency and Public Accounts Committee took serious notices of the situation where DHA had failed to clarify the allegations in payment and allotment of plots to the overseas buyers.
It is alleged that DHA has violated the requirement of PPRA Ordinance 2002 and Public Procurement Rules 2004 and DHA Islamabad Ordinance 2005 and 2007 which awarded contracts to M/s Bahria Town and M/s Habib Rafiq Limited worth billions of rupees comprising thousands of acres to M/s Bahria Town and Habib Rafiq Limited 2009 for “DHA Valley and DHA Valley Overseas Block” and contract of HRL on 18th May, 2006 for the development of Phase-I Extension and earth an breaking ceremony was carried out on 6th June. The total area under consideration for development is 1500 acres in Phase-I extension.
The DHA also awarded contracts against rules to M/s J.I.N. Associates Marketing Agency and contract of M/s Meinhardt Pakistan Pvt Limited 2006, for providing consultancy services on development of Phase II DHA did not clarify alleged violations for the reasons known best to the DHA officials.
The TI Pakistan is of the view that DHA Islamabad is blatantly violating the laws which are applicable to DHA Islamabad.
These two laws are very clear: Relevant sources said that DHA Islamabad was established under the Federal Law DHA Islamabad Ordinance 2005 and also controlled by the Ministry of Defence. PPRA Letter to Ministry of Defence, dated 15 June 2009 also confirmed this position which is applicable on DHA Islamabad.
One more violation of law, reported by the complainant, is that though even DHA Islamabad has not been authorised to collect municipal charges, taxes, which is only allowed to the local government of the Cantonment Board, under the laws of Pakistan but DHA has allowed these charges, as maintenance charges to be paid to M/s Bahria Town and M/s Habib Rafique Limited for 25 years.
The sources said, if the investigations were carried out by a credible agency with no political interest thereof, it would certainly lead to massive financial irregularities, nepotism and favoritism at the cost of the national exchequer.