Bid to purchase104-metre snorkel was cancelled, SHC told

The bid for a 104-metre snorkel, to be purchased under the scheme to upgrade fire services, was cancelled in accordance with the Sindh Public Procurement Rules (SPPR), 2010, the additional secretary finance told the Sindh High Court (SHC) on Monday.

The court was hearing a petition seeking an inquiry into the alleged corruption in the purchase of a snorkel by the provincial government.

Petitioner Zulfiqar Shah submitted that the Sindh government was purchasing a snorkel through a local company at exorbitant rates.

The petitioner’s counsels, Nadeem Sheikh and Shoaun Nabi, argued that the Punjab government was buying a snorkel in the sum of Rs220 million from a foreign company, while the Sindh government was purchasing it for a sum of Rs570 million - Rs350 million higher than the former.

He submitted that the purchase of snorkel on such exorbitant rates was illegal and urged the court to restrain the government from purchasing it at such high rates.

However, the additional director finance submitted that Rs499 million were allocated for the purchase of the snorkel, however, the finance department had not released the funds and its bid was cancelled in accordance with SPPR, 2010.

The project director informed the judges that the local government wanted to buy the snorkel keeping in view Karachi’s future development.

The city was growing vertically, and to cater to its fire rescue requirements, an urgent need for a new snorkel was felt, he said. “Karachi needs the equipment as more and more high rise buildings were being constructed in the city.”

The project director told the judges that the tender was opened last year for purchase of snorkel and quoted price was Rs 495 million in which cost of training, familiarization on operation include and 10-year warrantee were also included. Meanwhile, the counsel of Commissioner Karachi sought time to file the comments. The court adjourned the hearing till January 18, 2017.