IHC cancels tender for Parliament Lodges over corruption

[Salman]

IHC (1)
Justice Siddiqui invokes premier to save CDA from destruction, directs CDA chairman to hold enquiry into issuance of tender of 120 suites to blue-eyed company

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has ordered cancellation of single tender issued to “favourite” company to purchase furniture without open tender for 120 suites of parliament lodges against PEPRA rules.

A single bench of IHC comprising Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui took up for hearing the case of issuing of single tender in connection with purchase of furniture for parliament lodges without open tenders.

While expressing displeasure over Capital Development Authority (CDA) chairman, Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui said that half powers of CDA chairman were being used by National Assembly (NA) deputy speaker, members of Parliament and CDA Union General Secretary Chaudhry Yasin.

“If you cannot use the powers then you should step down. Hue and cry is going on in the entire Islamabad that NA deputy speaker is running the powers of CDA chairman. If the court writes one sentence for deputy speaker and one for members of Parliament, they will become disqualified for the whole life,” he said.

Petitioner’s counsel Syed Gauhar Ali Zaidi, CDA Chairman Maroof Afzal, finance director, parliament lodges director, Services DG, member engineering, and legal counsel of CDA appeared in the court.

Ziadi told the court that CDA has issued single tender to its “favourite firm” for purchase of furniture for 120 suites of Parliament Lodges without open tender against PEPRA rules.

When inquired from the CDA chairman if the case was in his notice, he told the court that there was “pressure from above” for purchase of furniture, therefore single tender was given under emergency.

Justice Siddiqui inquired about the emergency and advised that he should quit office if he was feeling the pressure. The court also inquired as to who issued the single tender.

“Parliament Lodges’ furniture can be purchased for Rs 30 million instead of Rs 65 million,” the judge said, adding, “Was heaven falling for purchasing furniture for Parliament Lodges. Single tender has been given in emergency. Are deputy speaker and members of Parliament sleeping on floor?”

The court said that politicians get their blue-eyed appointed “to get money for election expenses”.

Justice Siddiqui inquired as to why the court should not send CDA’s corruption cases to NAB for inquiry.

“CDA should not do any work without merit and issue any tender without law and Constitution. The prime minister should take immediate notice of corruption and corrupt offices in CDA and save CDA from destruction for God’s sake.”

Later on, the court ordered that the single tender issued for purchase of furniture without open tender for 120 suites of Parliament Lodges be cancelled. The court directed CDA chairman to hold enquiry against the people involved in matter of single tender and furnish report thereof within 15 days to it.