KARACHI: Karachi Mayor has not taken any action of alleged embezzlement worth one billion rupees in tenders issued by the Karachi Municipal Corporation.
The KMC had received Rs5 billion funds from the federal government under the Karachi Package. Director-General Engineering Department had issued tenders worth Rs1 billion which have been mired in controversy amid allegations of corruption.
The officer was also responsible for doubling amounts in forty tenders in District South, prompting Local Government Secretary Roshan Ali Shaikh to take notice after reports surfaced. The mayor has not yet taken action against the officer.
Prior to awarding the first tender, a meeting was called at KMC and the contractors were summoned to the office of Director-General Iqtidar Ahmed. The meeting was called off after the contracts were issued to hand-picked contractors.
The officers of the Engineering Department did not allow contractors to place a bid on the day the tenders were awarded or submit proposals. Reports have also emerged that DG Iqtidar Ahmed physically restrained several contractors from submitting their bids.
After the time to submit the bids was over, the officers called their favourite contracts and illegally extended the time until evening. This was being observed by Work Committee chairman Hasan Naqvi who was presented at Frere Hall.
The award of contracts continued the next day and KMC officer Mahmood Zaidi was tasked to award the contract to hand-picked contractors and submit the report in Clifton office of Iqtidar Ahmed. In this way, the bill of quantities (BoQ) or a schedule of rates were allegedly changed.
Sources revealed that Iqtidar Ahmed allegedly received 15 percent commission in the award of contracts worth one billion rupees. Those contractors who were deprived from submitting tenders have urged LG secretary to take notice of the embezzlement.
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