Special Report
ISLAMABAD:
Instead of obtaining the advice of PPRA in accordance with the advice of Internal Audit Department (IAD), OGDCL management is leaving no stone unturned to ensure the award of two projects worth $140 million to the ‘favourite’ bidders, it was learnt.
According to sources, newly inducted incumbent General Manager (Internal Audit) Khurram Shiraz is allegedly found all out to bulldoze the previous observation of the Internal Audit Department (IAD) of OGDCL regarding award of Uch Compression Project worth $ 85 million and Kunnar Pasakhi Deep worth $ 60 million to some favourite bidders. They said these blue-eyed companies have allegedly been found involved in violating the PPRA Rules and the OGDCL Procurement Manual for corrupt practices and submission of the false information for securing the multi-million dollars’ worth projects. They said former MD OGDCL Syed Khalid Siraj Subhani ensured induction of present GM (IA) within a very shortest time after sidelining the ex-GM (IA) ostensibly because he raised serious objections/question on the award of said important projects to favourite companies. Khurram Shiraz has no previous work experience with the energy sector as he was previously engaged with telecom sector only to fulfill the commitment which was made by former MD OGDCL, said sources.
A former General Manager (GM) OGDCL Imran Shoukat, through a WhatsApp text message sent in a group named OGDCL YOUNG GOLDIES, had earlier informed group members that the then Managing Director (MD) Syed Khalid Siraj Subhani will award the tender of a multi-million dollar worth UCH Front End Compression Facility Project to a favourite bidder before leaving the office, they added.
Sources said that though a former GM (IA) had earlier declared the award of the said two projects to selected companies a violation of PPRA Rules and favourite companies can be disqualified, however, present GM (IA) has now shockingly recommended award the said two projects to the favourite companies after obtaining opinion from the corporate legal expert. They said that incumbent MD OGDCL Ahmed Hayat Lak is currently facing severe pressure for award of these two projects to the favourite companies. They said at present an inquiry is underway in the Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited for offering a bid bond worth $ 135 million for the UCH Front End Compression Facility Project. Former Managing Director (MD) of OGDCL, Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) and present MD of Sui Southern Gas Company Limited (SSGCL) were previously exposed in a WhatsApp Group for giving commitment regarding the award of Uch Compression Project to a favourite bidder, said sources.
“ It is recommended to ignore all personal/prior opinions and refer this case to the Procurement Committee for deciding it sharp in the guidelines of rules, regulations, law and similar decisions of the Apex courts based on the clear recommendations/opinion of renowned corporate legal experts of the same area so that not only subject matter shall be decided once for all but also this decision would be fruitful and a valid reference for all upcoming similar matters too,” said available cop of documents.
It is also learnt from sources that former GM OGDCL has allegedly ensured peculiar specification in the tender document of Uch Compression Project under which the equipment, materials, spares of a certain manufacturer was made necessary for the bidders despite the fact that the equipment and material of this manufacturer are old and obsolete. They alleged that the ex-GM has been working for this manufacturer in Pakistan and trying hard to benefit a Karachi-based company which is also a partner of the same manufacturer.
“Though a bidder out of the two participants has given partial compliance (PC) in the tender, however, its financial bid was opened as the former GM OGDCL has allegedly ensured that this bidder should not be dropped from the bidding process,” they added.
Sources further informed that OGDCL has to increase the supply of gas to the Uch Power Plant by December 2023 to avoid a heavy penalty and for this OGDCL has been trying hard to install the compressor for ensuring the increased gas supply to the Uch power plant to meet the deadline.
If the management pays due attention in time to the objections raised by its audit department then new tenders could be called to ensure transparency in the bidding process while the likely penalty could be avoided, they added.
