Sheikh Waqas blasts media for reporting: delay in convening National Assembly body's meeting

Chairman National Assembly's Sanding Committee on Petroleum and Natural Resources Sheikh Waqas Akram on Thursday blasted media for reporting that he had delayed convening meeting of the committee to take up a probe report about the shady LPG extraction deal between Jamshoro Joint-venture Limited (JJVL) and Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC).
The deal between JJVL and SSGC is going to expire in February 2011 but it has been made mandatory in agreement that contract will be awarded to JJVL on the same terms and conditions, which sparked controversy. Sub body as well as NA body on Petroleum has taken notice of that during proceedings. Shaeikh Waqas has also been critical of deal between SSGC and JJVL and has already said that any contract can become 'null and void' if mala fide intention found in deal.
Sub body of the NA committee on Petroleum headed by Barjees Tahir had taken two years to probe the issues of LPG and shady deal between JJVL and SSGC. "Over two months ago, the sub committee has finalised its report but NA body on Petroleum has not convened a meeting to take up the report," sources maintained.
Speaking on point of order in lower house on Thursday, Member National Assembly Sheikh Waqas Akram rejected any pressure of influential group for delaying to convene the meeting to make the report public. "It is my authority when to convene meeting of the committee but not on the dictation of fictitious media report," he said and urged the chair Faisal Karim Kundi to initiate inquiry how the information about contents of the report was leaked to the media. The Chair, in his observation, said that he would seek information from the National Assembly Secretariat.
The sub-committee of NA body on Petroleum has recommended filing criminal cases against officials of SSGC allegedly involved in striking LPG extraction deal with JJVL. The sub body has also proposed to request Public Accounts Committee (PAC) to take up the matter of LPG extraction contract between SSGC and JJVL. It has also been recommended to lodge First Information Report (FIR) against SSGC officials for alleged involvement in controversial deal.
The sub body has also proposed the government to hold open bidding for awarding LPG extraction contract after deal between JJVL and SSGC expires in February 2011. The sub-committee has noted that six parties had participated in prequalification process but a single party JJVL appeared in final bid. Sub committee chairman had observed that SSGC should have conducted re-bidding to create healthy competition and ensures transparency in the whole process.
Sub committee chairman during the proceeding had also raised question over the formula to award contract to JJVL, which was a single party in final bid and SSGC failed to respond. The committee also observed with serious concern that contract was awarded to JJVL without receiving 'bid bond' which raised serious question over the deal between JJVL and SSGC.
According to first advertisement regarding the project appeared in newspapers, SSGC had invited parties having past experience in LPG extraction. But SSGC is silent over committee's inquiry about JJVL's past experience in LPG extraction. The committee has also expressed concern over extension in opening bids of LPG extraction project many times.