Reference news item published in Business Recorder, dated Wednesday, April 4 under caption "TI Pakistan, TCP lock horns over award of urea handling contract," it is clarified that TCP has neither violated any Court''s orders nor PPRA Rules at any stage in allowing enlistment to Fauji Akbar Portia Marine Terminal Limited (FAP) Terminal on TCP''s panel. The facts of the case are as follows:
TCP had issued a press advertisement on 30-07-2010, conforming to the requirements of Public Procurement Rules 2004 (Rules) for enlistment of firms providing stevedoring and in-port handling of urea at Port Qasim and Karachi Port, as well as displayed on the websites of PPRA and TCP. Besides other stevedoring companies, FAP also participated in response to the advertisement and technically qualified for the enlistment.
According to arrangements at Port Qasim, FAP is the authorised terminal operator for handling the bulk grain/fertiliser. They also quoted lowest financial bid of Rs 609/= PMT in terms of rule 36 (ix) of the Rules is read with 38 ibid for handling of cargo at FAP Terminal Port Qasim. While the case for pre-qualification/enlistment of FAP on TCP''s panel was under process, the Honourable High Court of Sindh issued a stay order on February 11, 2011, and restrained TCP to enlist FAP on its panel of stevedores, which was subsequently vacated by the same Court on 01-11-2011.
During the period of stay order, TCP arranged stevedoring/handling of urea through the second lowest bidder on a special request to the Port Qasim Authority and on the basis of Court''s stay order. However, in view of the stay vacation order of the Honourable High Court of Sindh and unavailability of any other option for stevedoring and import handling of urea at PQA, in the light of the agreement between FAP and PQA the enlistment of FAP Karachi on TCP''s panel was allowed and being the lowest bidder in the tender. They were awarded the stevedoring contact at FAP terminal. In view of the position explained above, the allegations levelled against TCP in the news article are misplaced and baseless. Hence, the same are denied.-PR
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