ISLAMABAD: The Directorate of Municipal Administration (DMA) has been hit by another alleged corruption scam as this time two senior officers are accusing each other of approving fake bills worth millions of rupees.

The DMA is one of the main departments of the Metropolitan Corporation Islamabad (MCI) and is supposed to deal with municipal functions of the city. Last year, the directorate had seen a massive scam related to self-collection of parking fees.

For the last a few weeks, two officers have been leveling allegations against each other, stating that a blue-eyed contractor was not only getting contracts illegally but was also allegedly involved in getting fake payments.

The two officers - Director DMA Shakeel Arshad and Deputy Director Chaudhry Asif - are working in the organisation on deputation.

Allegations include payment of millions of rupees to contractor without following rules

Dawn approached both the officers and during interactions with them it transpired that there is a need of an investigation into the allegations by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).

The allegations started with the inauguration of the Green and Blue Metro Bus Service by Prime Minister Sehbaz Sharif where a vendor was hired without tenders for arranging the ceremony.

The vendor later came up with two separate bills amounting to Rs19.8 million and Rs9.7 million. The concerned deputy director, Chaudhry Asif claimed that he had processed the major bill after which payment was released to the contractor.

However, Mr Asif claimed that the second bill amounting to Rs9.7 million was a forged one and he had informed Director Shakeel Arshad about it.

Meanwhile, the deputy director said the matter came under the notice of Deputy Commissioner Islamabad Irfan Nawaz Memon, who is also the administrator of MCI. The DC directed Mr Asif to appear before him to explain his position.

The deputy director said in his utter surprise he was told that he had signed both the bills - Rs19.8m and Rs 9.7m.

“I told the DC that I only approved one bill amounting to Rs19.8 million and had nothing to do with the second bill of Rs9.7million which was a fake bill. My signature on it is also fake as I never signed this bill,” the deputy director claimed.

Meanwhile, the contractor, according to the deputy director, submitted an application to the DC, stating that the deputy director was corrupt and had taken Rs1 million bribe for clearing the bills.

The director DMA put a note on the file and recommended immediate repatriation of the deputy director to his parent department and the DC approved it. However, the deputy director said when he explained his position before the DC his repatriation orders were withheld.

“I want a transparent inquiry so that people of Islamabad could know who is at fault. I did not sign the fake bill rather opposed it. Then, the mafia tired to blackmail me. Thanks to DC sahib, my repatriation orders were withheld. I had no interest to stay in DMA but before leaving I want a transparent inquiry,” he said.

He also claimed that the contractor was a blue-eyed boy of the director and had been regularly getting contracts without bidding.

“Like the inauguration of the metro bus service, the same contractor without tendering was given the contract for arranging opening functions of Bhara Kahu bypass, Kashmir Black Day, August 5 Day etc and bills of these events are yet to be approved,” he said.

On the other hand, when contacted, the director DMA rejected the allegations leveled by his deputy. He said there was no need for an inquiry into the issue rather just forensic of deputy director’s signature should be conducted to reach the truth. He said the deputy director had issues with the contractor who was alleging that he had asked him for Rs3 million bribe and one million was allegedly paid. The deputy director had signed both bills, Mr Arshad alleged.

“Now, the deputy director just to hide his corruption is trying to misguide the media and other organisations,” the director claimed. Asked why the contractor was getting maximum contracts of DMA without tenders, he said: “No, there are almost three such contractors who got contracts. Some time we had to award them a contract on urgent basis without calling tenders,” he claimed.

The director said apart from the Bhara Kahu bypass, he had got many events organised free of cost by using his good office. He said from now onward he had directed that not a single work would be awarded without tenders.

Published in Dawn, November 21st, 2022