Peshawar, Pakistan: A case of sheer financial irregularities and alleged corruption has surfaced amounting to almost a billion rupees in the Flood and Erosion Protection Arrangement DI Khan Project.
Brief of the case:
Irrigation Department DI Khan (Govt of KP) announced an invitation to E-Bidding (Tenders) on 18-01-2025 (Appendix-I).
5 bidders (contractors) were qualified by the department for participation in tenders. Tenders were required to be opened on 27-01-2025 through an online process (E-Bidding).
All bidders were available in the office of the XEN Irrigation department at DI Khan to submit their bids, but the link went down. Contractors could not drop their bids. Executive Engineer of the Irrigation department canceled the tenders vide office order # 124 dated 27-01-2025 (Appendix-II).
The contract of Rs. 998 Million was awarded fraudulently to a blue-eyed contractor “Haji Aurangzeb and Sons” despite cancellation of tenders.
Findings:
The contract worth Rs. 998 Mn was awarded to a favorable contractor in collusion with XEN and Faisal Amin (Brother of AAG) without due process.
It is also revealed that Faisal Amin Gandapur has close nexus with the department and Haji Aurangzeb. A deal on kickbacks of 15% of the total amount of the contract of Rs. 998 Mn (998 15% = 149.7 Mn) will be handed over to Faisal Amin.
The link of the Server was intentionally put down so to avert the participation of other qualified contractors in the bidding process.
Conclusion Fraud of Rs. 988 Mn is observed. The contract worth 998 Mn was fraudulently awarded to Haji Aurangzeb on the pretext of non-avail of another bid online. However, they were present in the office of XEN.
Direction:
On approached to NAB by OSU, DG NAB has agreed to issue Notices to XEN Haji Aurangzeb and Faisal Amin.
Inquiry of NAB is recommended against XEN Haji Aurangzeb and Faisal Amin (Brother of AAG).
Secretary Irrigation to cancel the tender and hold an inquiry against the persons involved.
The Association of Contractors may take up a case to the court of law for a Stay Order.
The media which is mostly busy reporting who met former prime minister Imran Khan should also focus on such cases where public money had been swindled by his party and look into how corruption has become a norm in the KP Government. There is a possibility that the misuse of public funds may be stopped due to media focusing.
