- CDA officials got nine water supply projects without tender, used 24-inch diameter pipe instead of 36-inch pipe
ISLAMABAD
INP
The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) was told on Tuesday that corruption of Rs 110 million has been found on the part of Capital Development Authority (CDA) officials in water supply projects for years 1998-1999.
As the meeting of PAC sub-committee was held with Shafqat Mehmood in the chair, the audit officials told the committee that CDA, through Saadat Enterprises, got nine water supply projects without any tender. They said that 24-inch diameter pipe was laid but the billing was received for 36-inch pipe, in which corruption of Rs 110 million has been unearthed.
The committee was further astonished to know that four CDA officers were punished in the case and received 10-year jail and Rs 2 million fine each but one of them was later released by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) court while the three others got bail from the courts. All these officers are now retired and haven’t paid any fine yet.
The committee members expressed resentment over the matter and recommended to stop pensions and other privileges of these CDA officers and fine should be recovered immediately.
The committee also criticised the handing over of Metro Bus Project to the Rawalpindi Development Authority. Shafqat Mehmood said 8-lane Jinnah Avenue has been ruined for the project. He said only Rs 450 million have been given to the IDPs while billions have been spent on the project.