New Islamabad International Airport: Opposition seeks probe into alleged irregularities

The opposition in Senate on Friday pointed out serious irregularities in construction of New Islamabad International Airport that resulted in escalation of cost of the project from Rs 37 billion to Rs 105 billion and sought thorough investigation into the allegations. The matter was raised by Leader of the Opposition Senator Sherry Rehman who stated that the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) after finding serious irregularities in the new airport, scheduled to be inaugurated on April 20, has referred the matter to National Accountability Bureau (NAB).
She said that thorough investigations should be conducted into the matter as the cost of the airport has increased over Rs 100 billion from its original Rs 37 billion while the audit department has pointed out that PPRA rules have been violated for 25 times. She maintained that tenders had been issued for the cleansing project of the airport, adding that locals were being ignored while preference was being given to a Turkish firm.
"The ruling party MNAs and MPAs are telling us about the irregularities, corruption in the airport as well as award of contracts in various other departments of the airport being awarded on nepotism in connivance of the adviser on Civil Aviation Authority (CAA)," she said, adding, "The CAA has become a can of worms". She said PAC had been seeking answers to various questions for the last six moths but the CAA was unable to find answers to the queries.
She also urged the government not to change the name of the new airport from Benazir International Airport, saying that Benazir Bhutto being the first prime minister in the Islamic world deserved the respect to recognise her services for the democratic process in the country. Sherry also opposed to introduce a new livery with logo of the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) and design to include a painting of the markhor (national animal) on the airline at a cost of $1.5 million.
Responding to the leader of the opposition''s concerns, Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Sheikh Afrab rejected any "underhand deal" with regard to awarding contracts, adding the matter was now with the NAB and drawing conclusion at that stage would be premature.
He said Benazir Bhutto was a respectable leader for all. "But we need not to forget the Founder of the Nation is Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah." PML-N Senator Javed Abbasi while speaking endorsed the NAB inquiry into the matter, saying the project started at Rs 37 billion and it cost raised to Rs 83 billion during PPP''s previous government. Another PML-N Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed said it was state-of-the-art airport and everybody should be proud of it. He said the cost of the project saw an increase of Rs 43 billion during the tenure of the PPP government.
Earlier, the government laid before the House an ordinance to amend further the Protection of Economic Reforms Act, 1992, which will be called the Protection of Economic Reforms (Amendment) Ordinance, 2018. In its statement of objects and reasons, it stated that the Protection of Economic Reforms Act, 1992 seeks furtherance and protection of economic reforms and has its overriding effect on other laws.
In terms of the provisions of this Act, no restriction can be imposed on maintenance or operations of foreign currency accounts and their subsequent transfer abroad. The protections available in the said Act have further been reinforced through Foreign Currency Accounts (Protection) Ordinance, 2001. This bill seeks to amend the Protection of Economic Reforms Act, 1992 to ensure that only those citizens of Pakistan resident in Pakistan that are tax filers can deposit foreign currency in their foreign currency accounts in order to further promote documentation of economy in the country.