HYDERABAD, Oct 14: The Sindh High Court, Hyderabad circuit bench, on Friday directed the vice-chancellor of the Sindh Agriculture University, Tandojam, and the project director of the university to pay Rs1.624 million to the Al-Rehman Housing Construction and Consultant firm as per the fifth running bill of the work of building within 15 days to enable petitioners to carry out rectification work.

The court said the petitioners would rectify defects in above building immediately after receiving above cheque within one month and remaining amount of petitioners out of Rs7 million would be determined and paid after final measurement of all the three projects stated in the petition within one month.

The petitioner will cooperate with respondents in respect of above stated measurement work.

The court ordered that after the final measurement and final bill prepared on the basis of above measurement, the security deposit of all the above three projects would be paid by respondents to petitioners after three months.

The court directed both the parties to comply with the order where after the matter should be placed before it for further orders.

The petitioner’s firm voiced its grievances through a constitutional petition against respondents regarding non-payment of their outstanding bills as detailed in the petition.

The petitioner attached various documents to support its contention.

The court issued pre-admission notice to respondents who filed their para-wise comments wherein they did not dispute most of the assertions made by the petitioner.

Naimatullah Soomro, advocate, who argued the matter on behalf of petitioner, said that his client was awarded work of construction of compound wall around residential colony by respondent project engineer at a cost of Rs3,560,550 and the work was accordingly completed for which payment was made.

He said during process of work the scope of construction was changed whereby the work and construction increased from time to time and the petitioner was asked to complete the additional work as per their letter dated February 24.

He said the petitioner carried out the said work and completed the work to the tune of Rs439,848 for which the petitioner submitted the running bill which was duly received by the respondent who also certified the work done by the petitioner.

He said the respondents did not pay above amount despite repeated approach and after hectic efforts the respondents paid only Rs184,032 while remaining amount of Rs375,000 was still outstanding without any justification.