ISLAMABAD: Transparency International (TI) through its Pakistan Chapter has given clean health certification to all projects of Punjab government of Mian Shahbaz Sharif including most controversial Lahore Mass Transport System project popularly known as Metro Bus Service. Pakistan people’s Party (PPP) is claiming that Transparency International (Pakistan Chapter) has been greased by Mian Shahbaz Sharif for getting appreciation and “All is well” letter from TI just before general elections. While PML (N) is releasing newspapers and television advertisements worth millions of rupees from public exchequer for beating drums that its government is “The Best” in the history of Pakistan showing TI certification. Punjab Government using TI report is saying that TI has confirmed that all projects executed by Mian Shahbaz Sharif as Chief minister are free of corruption.
This is an amazing situation. TI Pakistan Chapter has given “All is well” certificate to a project that was never placed in Punjab annual Budget for approval before it was started, did not have any Performa Commission I (PCI) and it was never placed before the Assembly before it was started. TI is also silent about iron fence amounting around one billion rupees that was dismantle from Chungi Amarsadu to Kahna on Ferozpur Road. TI is has no clue to give us the amount that was spent on the beautification of Ferozpur Road before start of Transport project.
There is possibility that TI did not find any misappropriation of funds in this project but it is amazing it did not find any violation of rules and procedure in this mega project. It is also amazing that that TI did not find any gross rules violation in this project and also refrain to see report of Environmental impact of this project—another gross violation of Punjab Government to set aside this report that was self-explanatory that this transport project will be a disaster to environment of Lahore.
This pro-active report of Transparency International creates doubts among masses and developmental experts and there is a dire need to check transparency of “Transparency International Pakistan Chapter”.
