Credit for loans goes to army chief: Shahbaz

ISLAMABAD: Opposition Leader in the National Assembly Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif on Monday said the credit for the friendly countries’ support to Pakistan went to the Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa and the government should not labour under the delusion that it was due to Prime Minister Imran Khan.

Speaking in the National Assembly, he said Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and China stood by Pakistan in testing times. Speaking on a point of order, he said the award of Mohmand Dam contract on the basis of single bid was dacoity on the national exchequer and national assets. “The award of Rs309 billion Mohmand Dam project on the basis of a single bid to a company owned by a person who is also adviser in the incumbent government is also non-transparent showing conflict of interests,” he said.

Demanding rebidding [for award of contract], he said the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA) rules were also violated while contracting out the mega project. He said the company which got the contract was owned by Abdul Razzak Dawood who was an adviser in the current government. “We initiated the project and bidding process and it should be on record that the contract has been awarded by PTI government,’ he said.

Shahbaz demanded a debate on the award of contract and said the issue should also be referred to standing committee concerned of the House. The opposition leader pointed out that during the PML-N government, permission was sought from the-then Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif to invoke emergency clause of the PPRA rules to award contract of Haveli Bahadur power plant in order to save time but he did not allow it at a time when the country was facing shortage of electricity.

“Now what emergency the present government is facing that it had to contract out the Mohmand Dam project on single bid basis?” he asked. Shahbaz observed that construction of major water reservoirs was vital for the country but award of Mohmand Dam contract had raised many questions. He said it was the PML-N government which had allocated Rs2 billion for Mohmand Dam and acquired Rs100 billion for Diamer-Bhasha Dam.

He said the PML-N government not only completed three mega power plants projects having capacity to produce 3,600 MW electricity in a transparent manner, but also saved Rs160 billion. Shahbaz said the PML-N government had done away with loadshedding due to its dynamic policies.

“The loadshedding currently being faced by the country is due to the incompetence and negligence of the incumbent government,” he charged. He said the PML-N would also move an adjournment motion seeking discussion in the House on deteriorating condition of economy and continuous increase in inflation and other concerned issues.