Shehbaz Sharif demands formation of committee to probe Mohmand Dam contract

ISLAMABAD: Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif Friday demanded of the Speaker to constitute a committee to investigate the award of contract for construction of 800 megawatt Mohmand Dam.

Speaking at the floor of the National Assembly, he said the committee should investigate the matter in a week so that the nation could know the facts about construction of Mohmand dam.

“I proved that the contract awarded for the construction of hydro electric project Mohmand Dam on Swat river was totally against spirit of rules of Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA).”

He said the law allowed single bidding but the preferred option was that bidding should be held again if only a single bid was received.

Otherwise, such project could be compared with other similar projects in  the same financial year. If this was not possible, then it should be compared with other projects in the world, he explained the point.

Shehbaz said the Mohmand Dam project was a case of conflict of interest.

The opposition leader said he had nothing personal but every Pakistani had the right to know how the contract of Rs 309 billion was being awarded for the construction of Mohmand Dam.

He said according to PPRA rules, if a bidder had met all the conditions for a contract, then the project shall be given.

However, in the interest of Pakistan, his government in the past asked the lowest bidders to slash costs of dozens of projects by billions of rupees including Orange Line Train and Safe City projects.

“An adjournment motion has also been submitted in the House on this issue,” he added.