Corruption starts devouring the Lahore Meat Complex

Lahore Meat Complex (LMC) project worth Rs 1.5 billion at Shahpur Kanjran is in doldrums as its Chief Executive Dr Hamid Jalil had reportedly resigned ‘under protest’ over alleged intervention of a political family in the project’s affairs. According to documents available with the NNI, LMC, a state-of-the-art slaughterhouse was completed in a record period of 12 months at cost of Rs 1.5 billion over 717 Kanals of land in collaboration with Iran at Shahpur Kanjran Kanjran, Multan Raod Lahore.
The documents revealed that through a process, local and international bidders were invited to run the project and a company Poly Line, reportedly owned by Punjab-based political figure’ daughter and son-in-law Yousuf Haroon applied for the tender.
Jalil and the other board members of the LMC rejected the application of PolyLine due to political intervention in the project and re-tendered the project. Consequently, an eight member committee including three board members accepted CoCo Traders offer to run the project affairs.
The CoCo Traders company deposited Rs 60 million as security money for the project on behalf of its partners companies including Rudolf Martha (Germany) and Dogus Makina (Turkey) on February 28 this year after approval of the project tenders by Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif.
Later on, LMC came to know that PolyLine has also become part of the CoCo Traders Company to run the project, upon which Punjab Agriculture and Meat Company (PAMC) issued notices to CoCo Traders and its partner companies Rudolf Martha (Germany) and Dogus Makina (Turkey) for cancellation of the contract.
PAMC was informed by Rudolf Martha (Germany) and Dogus Makina (Turkey) that Co Co Traders had used their title to become successful bidder of the project saying their name was misrepresented by the CoCo Traders and requested the PAMC to return all the documents which the CoCo Traders submitted on behalf of the foreign companies.
Besides, Dogus Makina (Turkey) disclosed through its letter to PAMC that CoCo Traders Company had submitted security bond of Rs 20 million in the contract saying these bond were issued by an insurance company which was black listed by the State Bank of Pakistan. Dogus Makina (Turkey) said it had nothing to do with the CoCo Traders Company.
It has been alleged that intervention from a political family from Punjab, in order to bless the management control of LMC project to PolyLine, is under the way.
Punjab police has sealed the LMC whereas the Provincial government has asked the Federal Interior Ministry to include the name of Dr Hamid Jalil in the ECL. It is worth mentioning that international community including KSA, Malaysia, Mauritius had shown their interest to import mega quantity of meat and beef whereas India , Romania and Spain has also placed orders for by-product of the complex.