Islamabad: Transparency Intl Pak asks DHA to provide details of contract agreements

[Naveed Yaseen]

MUSHTAQ GHUMMAN
ISLAMABAD (September 04 2009): Transparency International Pakistan (TIP) has asked the Defence Housing Authority (DHA) to provide details of all contract agreements awarded from 2005-2009 as well as National Accountability Bureau's (NAB) evaluation, under Rule 47 of Public Access and Transparency.

The Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA) has written at least four letters to the Secretary Defence Ministry stating that it would be appreciated that the organisations under the administrative control of the Defence Ministry are directed to ensure strict compliance of Rules-8 & 9 of PP Rules, 2004 and furnish their proposed annual requirements of the financial year 2009 -10 for placing on Authority's website at the earliest.

TIP has noted from DHA Islamabad website that it has awarded contracts worth billions of rupees to different contractors. According to the Rules as soon as a contract has been awarded the procuring agency shall make all documents related to the evaluation of the bid and award of contract public.

TIP, in its letter to Brigadier Javed Iqbal (Retd), Administrator, Defence Housing Authority, stated that on May 28, 2005 Emaar Properties PJSC, a UAE based company, signed an agreement with DHA Islamabad to form a Joint Venture company, for constructing and managing residential houses, commercial premises, bridges etc in DHA Islamabad.

On August 9, 2005, Meinhardt (Pakistan) pvt Ltd, entered into another agreement with DHA for providing consultancy services on development of Phase II Extension. It had to undertake to develop 4,000 acres of land "project" of Phase-II extension DHA Islamabad. The project was envisaged to be high class development comprising residential and commercial plots, public amenities like schools, colleges, parks, playgrounds, stadiums, sports complex, town halls, community centres, club houses, libraries, mosques, utility buildings and other ancillary facilities.

An agreement had been signed with HRL on 18th of May, 06 for the development of Phase I-Extension and earth breaking ceremony was on 6th June, 06. Total area to be developed by HRL is 1,500 acres in phase-1 extension. Habib Rafiq (pvt) Ltd has been committed for all the development work in phase-I, II including roads, parks etc. Habib Rafiq (pvt) Ltd has successfully completed other ambitious projects.

On September 1, 2009, DHA in collaboration with the Bahria Town and Habib Rafique Limited (HRL) launched a low-cost housing project 'DHA Valley and DHA Valley Overseas Block'. Balloting for the project was held at the DHA Valley Expressway Phase II Extension. Addressing the gathering on the occasion, DHA Administrator Brigadier Javed Iqbal (Retd) said the project was designed for low-income people.

"We are determined to complete the project in time," he added. He stated that the project would have all basic facilities of life like schools, parks and shopping centres. Bahria Town Chairman Malik Riaz said they had taken care of public. "An ordinary person can only dream to have luxuries of life, but we made it possible in the DHA Valley. We have taken care of the salaried class and they will be having all world-class residential facilities in the project. In this phase, we have developed 5- and 8-marla plots. More than 90,000 people, both in Pakistan and overseas, have registered with us through this project," he said.

Malik Riaz assured the allottees that the project would be completed well before its time. The chief engineer of the project said the scheme would be a world-class residential experience. He said an American firm, OJMR-Los Angeles, has designed the project.

"We would like to remind you that as Director NAB Sindh, you and TI Pakistan worked tirelessly with NAB for transparent implementation of Public Procurement Rules 2004. We hope you will follow PPRA Rules 2004 in DHA Islamabad too, and change of posting from NAB to DHA has not affected your understanding," the TIP reminded Administrator DHA.

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