NA panel accuses Sindh govt of opting for APCs from Serbia

ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Defence Production on Wednesday grilled the Sindh government for ordering the purchase of armoured personnel carriers (APC) from a single bidder belonging to Serbia at a much higher cost of over Rs170 million per piece against a vehicle of the same quality manufactured by the Heavy Industries Taxila (HIT) at a lower cost of Rs70 million per APC.
“This is a classic example of corruption and the committee will not allow it to happen. I warn IG Sindh that he will have to face a case in NAB in case he proceeds ahead by procuring expensive APCs from Serbia,” Chairman NA Standing Committee on Defence Production Sohail Mansoor warned while chairing the committee meeting here at the Parliament House on Wednesday.
The NA panel has now summoned chief secretary Sindh, IG Sindh, chairman FBR and Sindh Procurement Regulatory Authority (SPRA) in the next meeting for their testimony before the committee.
The chief secretary Sindh and IG police did not turn up in today’s meeting that agitated the Chairman and other members of the NA Panel. The Chief Secretary submitted medical certificate for seeking permission not to attend the meeting but at one stage the committee considered to table privilege motion or conducting inquiry to scrutinise the medical certificate but later on deferred this matter till convening of next meeting.
The Minister for Defence Production Rana Tanveer Hussain said that he personally asked Chief Minister Sindh Syed Qaim Ali Shah to refrain from plunging into such a deal which was causing damage to his reputation. “There is no other view except that this case is based upon bad intentions,” he added.
However, Additional IG Sindh Police argued before the committee that when Sindh Police launched operation in Lyari in 2013 it found that bullets penetrated into B-6 APCs procured by Sindh Police from HIT so the Police required B-7 APCs in urgency. He said that Sindh Police was highly demoralised as 10 to 15 police personnel were killed in uniform on monthly basis. He said that the Police department should have sought approval from all relevant forums, got NOC from Ministry of Interior, sought tax exemption from FBR and also wrote letter to NAB for apprising them about single bidder.
On this occasion, Chairman HIT Lt Gen Syed Wajid Hussain told the committee that B-6 APCs were not meant for steel bullets but now the HIT was manufacturing B-7 that possessed capability to protect steel bullets as well.
The KP has been procuring B-7 APCs from HIT and they would also display their model in upcoming Defence Exhibition going to be organised in UAE by end of the ongoing month.
Secretary Defence Production and Home Secretary Sindh exchanged hot words during the proceedings of the meeting when the Home Secretary informed the committee that APCs made by HIT could not meet requirement of Sindh Police during Lyari operation. The Secretary defence production argued that it was misstatement because B-6 APCs were not meant for protecting steel bullets.
“We can meet requirements of all provinces,” he said and proposed to the committee to make it mandatory for Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA) to give preference to local manufacturers through inserting wording of mandatory into bidding documents.
The committee was informed that although this case was already landed in the Supreme Court of Pakistan but the NA Committee decided to consider sending their representative for appearing before the apex court in the upcoming meeting.
Chairman HIT Lt General Wajid Hussain told the committee that APCs with certain protection levels were offered by HIT as Light Armoured Vehicle Mohafiz with protection level of B-6 could protect against 7.62 X 51 mm NATO ball standard ammunition at a distance of 10 meters. The Armoured Security Vehicle Protector can protect level of B-7 against 7.62 X 51 mm Armour Piercing (steel core) ammunition at a distance of 10 meters.
The Armoured Security Vehicle Dragon with protection level up to STANG-III against 7.62 X 51 MM Tungsten Carbide (WC) core ammunition at a distance of 30 metres.
For additional protection level, HIT can provide anti mine protection Stang 4569 level IIA against 6kg of TNT exploded under each wheel. The anti mine protection Stang 4569 level IIB against 6kg of TNT exploded under the belly.