Purchase of 69 locomotives against PPRA rules: National Assembly body refers case to NAB

The National Assembly's Standing Committee on Railways on Tuesday expressed serious concerns over the procurement of 69 locomotives in violation of Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA) rules and referred the case to National Accountability Bureau (NAB).
The committee, which met here with Sardar Ayaz Sadiq in the chair, expressed dissatisfaction over the presentation given by the Ministry over the procurement of 69 locomotives in violation of PPRA rules. The committee further voiced concern over use of low quality oil in Pakistan Railways locomotives due to which most of the locomotives have been damaged.
Railway Minister Ghulam Ahmad Bilour and PML-N MNA Abdil Sher Ali exchanged harsh words over the deteriorating conditions of Railways. The minister said just 120 locomotives had so far been purchased since 1996 by Pakistan Railways, as compared to India where more than 500 engines were procured.
Secretary Railway informed the committee that 150 acres of land worth Rs 2 billion has been recovered according to the Policy of recovering Railways land from the encroachers. Officials further informed that Business Trains were launched in a bid to turn the PR into a profit earning entity, as they are mulling over to commercialise more trains.
The meeting was attended by Ghulam Ahmad Bilour, Minister for Railways, MNAs Nauman Islam Sheikh, Dr Talat Mahesar, Rahela Baloch, Muhammad Afzal Sandhu, Dr Zil-e-Huma, Ramesh Lal, Dewan Ashiq Hussain Bokhari, Pir Muhammad Aslam Bodla, Farzana Mushtaq Ghani, Dr Muhammad Ayub Sheikh, Haji Rozuddin, Chaudhry Abdil Sher Ali, Rana Tanveer Hussain and Imrana Saeed Jamil.