Built to last?

Our roads get inundated and washed out after moderate rainfall, food shortages occur despite claims of bumper crops, bridges collapse for no reason at all and newly built airport terminal buildings or other taxpayer-funded buildings start leaking or developing cracks. All this points to substandard construction in nexus with corrupt contractors and government officials. The quantum of corruption within different works and services departments is directly proportional to the occurrence of failures in the projects carried out by them.

These bastions of corruption need to be closed down and replaced by more efficient public works departments. The policy of awarding government contracts to powerful contractors associated with works and services departments must cease until this process becomes more transparent and accountable. Projects funded by public money must be audited for leakages.

Ali Malik Tariq

Lahore