Issuance of 'Bill of Lading' ministries asked to explain reasons behind delay

The Supreme Court Friday issued notices to secretaries Ministry of Water and Power / Ministry of Finance to explain why 'Bill of Lading' for the machinery and equipment of Nandipur and Chichokimallian projects was not issued.
"Failing to satisfy the court will force it to initiate action against them under Efficiency and Disciplinary Act," a three-member bench led by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry observed while hearing a petition of Khawaja Muhammad Asif who made the Federation of Pakistan and others respondents.
Earlier, the SC asked the government to assign 'responsibility' to those who caused delay in concluding the contracts of Nandipur and Chichokimallian, which affected the national exchequer adversely. At the outset of hearing, the petitioner contended that both the projects did not materialise well in time due to delay in issuance of 'Bill of Lading' from the concerned authorities, saying equipment and machinery of Nandipur and Chichokimallian projects were still lying in Beijing and Karachi.
The bench also noted that the matter relating to seek opinion of federal Ministry of Law on contracts of both the projects was delayed for one-and-a-half years. According to Chief Justice, responsibility must be fixed on those who were holding the charge during the time when the process in relation to finalisation of Nandipur and Chichukimalian power projects' contracts was delayed by the federal ministry of law. "The delay deprived the national kitty of Rs 13 billion," the Chief Justice observed.
An official of the Ministry of Law, Raja Naeem, sought more time in the matter with a plea that Ministry's counsel Dr Khalid Ranjha was on general adjournment. The bench said the SC had earlier asked Secretary Ministry of Water and Power and others to file their objections, if any, over Justice Rahmat Hussain Jafri-led Commission's report. The Commission detected Rs 113 billion loss due to delay in the execution of Nandipur and Chichokimallian contract. The Federal Ministry of Law had not filed its objection over the report which meant it had accepted the responsibility, the bench added.
Meanwhile, the bench directed the Deputy Attorney General Shafi Muhammad Chandio to submit a list in the chamber of Justice Jawwad S. Khawaja till 3 pm of those 'responsible' officials for causing delay in the issuance of 'Bill of Lading'. However, an official of the AGP's office confirmed that replies were not submitted in the Justice Khawaja's chamber due to paucity of time. Those replies, he said, would now be produced on Saturday (today). The hearing of the case was adjourned till June 11.