A joint venture of Pakistan's Descon and Chinese group Gezhouba has won the bid to build Mohmand Dam and people have mixed reactions.
The Rs 309 billion project had two bidders, including the Descon-Gezhouba duo and a consortium consisting of the Frontier Works Organisation (FWO), Andritz Hydro and Power China. The consortium was disqualified on technical grounds.
Descon was founded by Advisor to the Prime Minister Abdul Razzak Dawood and although he resigned as the chairman before joining PM Khan as an advisor, he still remains a main stakeholder in the company and that does not sit well with Pakistanis.
People have mixed reactions over the issue. Some believe it is 'conflict of interest' while others believe that Abdul Razzak Dawood has nothing to do with Descon anymore.
https://twitter.com/omar_quraishi/status/1080368728204865536
https://twitter.com/Haidery05/status/1080337252109242369
https://twitter.com/SaadGulzarSh/status/1080307777971650560
https://twitter.com/imran_sidra/status/1080157834023706624
https://twitter.com/ibrohi31/status/1080185106885763072
Speaking to Dawn, Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry said that there was nothing wrong in awarding the contract to Descon. He also added: “Is there any firm in the country which is bigger than Descon?"
Moreover, the minister also urged Abdul Razzak Dawood to speak to the media and give a detailed statement over the issue.
The Rs 309 billion project had two bidders, including the Descon-Gezhouba duo and a consortium consisting of the Frontier Works Organisation (FWO), Andritz Hydro and Power China. The consortium was disqualified on technical grounds.
Descon was founded by Advisor to the Prime Minister Abdul Razzak Dawood and although he resigned as the chairman before joining PM Khan as an advisor, he still remains a main stakeholder in the company and that does not sit well with Pakistanis.
People have mixed reactions over the issue. Some believe it is 'conflict of interest' while others believe that Abdul Razzak Dawood has nothing to do with Descon anymore.
'Abdul Razzak Dawood may have resigned from Descon in Aug 2018 but he remains on its board & is the majority shareholder'
https://twitter.com/omar_quraishi/status/1080368728204865536
Some people believe this would make the Dam bidding process controversial
https://twitter.com/Haidery05/status/1080337252109242369
Others believe Dawood has nothing to do with Descon anymore. 'Abdul Razzak Dawood is not on the Descon Board anymore. He resigned before he joined the Govt'
https://twitter.com/SaadGulzarSh/status/1080307777971650560
Here is another one who believes Dawood is being unnecessarily dragged into to it
https://twitter.com/imran_sidra/status/1080157834023706624
People are also calling it 'conflict of interest'
https://twitter.com/ibrohi31/status/1080185106885763072
Speaking to Dawn, Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry said that there was nothing wrong in awarding the contract to Descon. He also added: “Is there any firm in the country which is bigger than Descon?"
Moreover, the minister also urged Abdul Razzak Dawood to speak to the media and give a detailed statement over the issue.