Former minister of state for railways has appealed to Chief Justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry to take suo motu notice of gross violation of procurement rules by Pakistan Railways in the award of single tender running contract for a period of ten years worth $152 million (Rs 13 billion). In the application submitted through the Supreme Court registrar, Ishaq Khan Khakwani said he had come to know through well publicised media reports in September 2009 that Pakistan Railways had drawn a Contract No PR/2009/DEL MAINTENANCE between Ministry of Railways and Dong Fan Electric Corporation (DEC) and Dalian Locomotives & Rolling Stock Company Limited (DLOCO) of Peoples’ Republic of China for Contract Maintenance of Diesel Electric Locomotives manufactured by DLOCO, PR China 2009, to maintain a fleet of 62 locomotives of Chinese origin. The date of the contract was September 28, 2009, held good for 10 years.
“I was shocked to know that such a contract could be placed by the Pakistan Railways on Single Tender Basis, without following the laid down procedures,” Khakwani said.
