Due to the implementation of PPRA rules, the corruption in government contracts have gone down. But the corrupt government officials are now using “technicalities” to conduct illegal activities.
Take the example of CM Punjab, who had earlier claimed that Quiad-e-Azam Solar Park was generating electricity at 80 percent efficiency while in reality it was only 8 percent. Similarly, the CM Punjab has claimed that they have reduced the unit cost of generated electricity from QAS to Rs14 but yesterday it was announced that after including debt-servicing the rate per unit of electricity generated from QAS stands at Rs24.5, the highest in the history of Pakistan.
Another example is the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources, which has created a new material called “RLNG” to help bypass the laws of LNG, while also incorrectly claiming that home users of natural gas will benefit from the project. But on closer inspection it was found that the Ministry was trying to import RLNG at a rate of 12$ while the industrial standard rate was 8$, and only IPPs and fertiliser manufacturers will benefit from RLNG.
Similarly, the Ministry of Agriculture is helping the sugar manufacturing mafia by declaring that only 9.5KG sugar is made from 100kg sugarcane which is 5KG less than what is industrial standard of 14.5KG produced from 100KG sugarcane.
These and similar examples highlight the duplicity of government officials on technical issues. Therefore, the news channels and newspapers should hire technical personnel that can look into and investigate the technical aspects of government deals and highlight fake and incorrect statements made by government ministers and representatives.
ENGR SHAHRYAR KHAN BASEER
Peshawar