ISLAMABAD: Senate Chairman Syed Yusuf Raza Gillani Thursday backed the engineers’ community’s demand for the establishment of engineering courts.
He was addressing the concluding ceremony of FIDIC mid-year conference, hosted by the Association of Consulting Engineers Pakistan (ACEP). Gilani appreciated that the three-day summit focused on technical knowledge towards journey of sustainable development in Pakistan. He said the roads, bridges, and water networks were not just the structures of steel, but the lifeline of any country and the community. He said a comprehensive dispute resolution mechanism is of utmost importance for the sustainable growth of the construction industry.
He called for judicious utilisation of public funds by promoting public-private partnerships and facilitating the business community. “My aim is to bring the best services to the people. As chairman Senate, I would welcome every legislation to strengthen governance, dispute resolution mechanisms and anything relevant for the promotion of the construction industry.” The Senate chairman also lauded the role of the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank in providing necessary support to the local industry in Pakistan.
President of ACEP, Waseem Asghar, urged the participants to think out of the box, identify weaknesses, present solutions, and improve the processes. He said his organisation would keep on urging the government to improve legal frameworks for timely completion of the development projects. “If a project is started and a complaint is filed, the concerned agencies start inquiries. Then stay order is usually obtained to halt the entire process. Sometimes it takes years to get it vacated. By then cost of the projects increases manifold, he explained. He called for an Alternative Dispute Resolution mechanism in Pakistan through an Act of Parliament.
He welcomed the Senate chairman’s support for the establishment of engineering courts in the country.
Delegates from all over the world, representing leading engineering companies and the representatives of key government departments, attended the summit.
