Islamabad: MNN
An alleged forgery scandal has emerged at the Pakistan Engineering Council (PEC) involving the registration and upgradation of construction companies, raising serious questions over the council’s internal oversight, document verification and regulatory mechanisms.
According to sources, a recent meeting of the PEC Enrollment Committee reviewed matters concerning the registration and upgradation of various companies. During the proceedings, questions were raised over documents and a work order submitted by a construction company seeking upgradation.
Sources claim that A.R. & Brothers, C1/1834 a construction company, submitted a work order along with other supporting documents as part of its application for upgradation. The authenticity and legal status of these documents have reportedly come under scrutiny.
Sources further claim that the name of A.R. & Brothers does not appear on the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa e-tendering list, raising additional questions over the authenticity and origin of the work order submitted to the PEC.
Despite the alleged discrepancies, the company was reportedly granted approval for upgradation on the basis of the disputed work order during a recent meeting of the Enrollment Committee.
Sources say preparations have also been initiated to issue a certificate to the company despite the allegations concerning the authenticity of its documents.
The alleged approval has raised serious questions about the PEC’s document verification process and the mechanism through which work orders and supporting documents are scrutinized before a company is upgraded.
A key question is: Who verified the work order and other documents submitted by the company, and on what basis was the upgradation approved if questions had already been raised over their authenticity?
Sources have also alleged possible involvement of certain PEC officials and staff in the matter. However, these are allegations and would require a transparent, independent and impartial investigation to establish the facts and determine responsibility.
Questions have also been raised over PEC Chairman Engineer Waseem Nazir’s reported lack of awareness of the matter, particularly regarding how an important registration and upgradation case allegedly proceeded through the council’s system.
Another key question is whether members of the Enrollment Committee were aware of the alleged discrepancies in the work order and other documents when the company’s upgradation was approved.
The matter is significant because PEC registration and company categorization can affect eligibility for engineering and construction projects.
If a company is upgraded on the basis of forged, false or unverifiable documents, it could raise broader concerns over transparency, fair competition and regulatory oversight in the awarding of public and private sector contracts.
Money talks — or something else?
The alleged forgery case at the Pakistan Engineering Council has raised serious questions about transparency, accountability and the effectiveness of the council’s internal verification mechanism.
A comprehensive and impartial inquiry is now needed to determine how the allegedly disputed documents reached the council, who verified them, on what basis the work order was accepted, and how the company’s upgradation was ultimately approved.
