The sub-committee of Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on Monday was seen crumbling before MNA Haider Abbas Rizvi of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) to proceed further in the construction of Jet Fountain near Oyster Rocks, Karachi at a cost of Rs 224 million during Musharraf regime.
The sub-committee meeting of PAC was held here with MNA Yasmeen Rehman in the chair to discuss the construction of Jet Fountain in Karachi, however, the MQM legislator took strong exception to the committee's objection to the fact that it was initiated on the verbal orders of the then prime minister Shaukat Aziz.
Haider Abbas Rizvi lashed out at Yasmin Rehman and Riaz Hussain Pirzada, when they tried to grill the management of Karachi Port Trust (KPT) to explain that why KPT initiated the project on the verbal orders.
Rizvi, who was also member of PAC sub-committee, termed the probe into construction of the Jet Fountain as politically motivated. "It is a politically motivated case. The PAC should not have objection if the audit and the finance ministry have no objection about it", he remarked.
He said that the government should not challenge the policy of the government. If you challenge the policies of the previous governments like this, a Pandora's Box will be opened, he added. "The national exchequer was full of dollars at that time. We were not begging before International Monitory Fund (IMF), so what is the harm in building a fountain for the entertainment of people. Recreational sites are also needed to entertain people," he added.
Rizvi also came hard at PAC for putting the name of former KPT chairman on ECL, saying there is no record of embezzlement against him and by highlighting the issue in the press, the PAC had tried to blackmail the official. Yasmeen Rehamn and Riaz Pirzada were completely helpless and kept on convincing their enraged colleague, assuring him that the issue would be solved whatever the way he wanted.
"If your children, your people are happy and if you think it is a politically motivated case, let's tear up these papers into pieces as we have no personal grudge against anybody. We are to ensure good governance. If the trend of spending public money on the directives of government section officers continues, then may God save this country", Pirzada remarked.
Chairperson KPT Nasreen Haque informed the committee that the Jet Fountain near Oyster Rocks, Karachi was constructed at a cost of Rs 224 million and per day expenditure being incurred on its operation and maintenance is averaged around Rs 116,546.
Chairperson KPT Nasreen Haque told the sub-committee that the KPT is on surplus and earning profit. She said that the KPT Jet Fountain is the world's latest fountain and rises to height of 620 feet when operating at full force. She said that ever since its inauguration on January 15, 2006, it has been attracting visitors from all over the country.
The fountain structure and platform of 135sq metres (15m x 9m) is on 16 piles 18 meters deep. Two 835-horsepower turbine pumps deliver nearly 2000 liters of sea water per second at a velocity of 70 meter per second through specially designed 8 inch nozzles. Because the fountain rises so high into the air, she said, it is quite easily seen from many locations of the city. Many high rise apartments, buildings and surroundings overlook the fountain throughout the community at the beach, she added.
The column of water can be seen from miles at sea. The fountain is located 1.4 km away from the beach to avoid spraying neighbourhood homes. Maximum vapours travel up to a radius of 500 feet around the fountain. Eighteen flood lights of 400 watts illuminate the fountain at night, she added. She also invited the PAC officials to visit the KPT fountain, when Yasmeen Rehman gestured to see the Jet fountain.