Islamabad: Transparency International Pakistan has raised serious concerns regarding a major dredging project at Port Qasim, urging the Prime Minister to ensure proper oversight. According to the organization, the Port Qasim Authority (PQA) and the newly established National Dredging and Marine Services (NDMS) are reportedly planning to award a $200 million (PKR 60 billion) contract to a private company without following a competitive open-bidding process potentially violating Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA) rules.
The complaint alleges that officials are citing the Prime Minister’s directive for “urgent action” as justification to bypass standard procedures. NDMS, in coordination with Karachi Port Trust, Gwadar Port Authority, and the National Logistics Corporation, is said to be preparing to directly award the contract rather than allowing multiple companies to compete.
Transparency International also pointed out that dredging at Port Qasim has been delayed for 17 years. The first tender, issued in 2008 with the lowest bid at PKR 10.7 billion, was canceled without explanation. Due to these repeated delays, the project’s cost has now surged to PKR 60 billion, raising serious concerns about transparency, accountability, and governance.
