Modus operandi to appoint consultants badly affects the quality of work: Engr. Sohail Bashir, CPEC
Chief operating officer of SAITA Pakistan Pvt. Ltd. Engr. Sohail Bashir believes concerns about China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) may die down if a comprehensive data of this initiative is made public.
“There should be complete details about which project is being executed under what head and who is financing the project and under what conditions.” Engr. Bashir said in an interview with Engineering Review.
There are two parts of projects being executed in Pakistan and both are considered to be under the umbrella of CPEC. One is being done by FWO and the other is being executed by Chinese. Since they are not clearly demarcated as far as general perception is concerned, there always remain doubts, he said.
We Pakistanis happen to be open-hearted and usually don’t look at things in entirety. This initiative should have been a win-win situation. The Pakistan Engineering Council (PEC) laws call for forming joint ventures in case of foreign-funded projects but the Chinese companies were given exemptions. Thus, neither the process of technology transfer took place like it happened in the past nor did Pakistani companies secured engineering works and jobs.
Consultants & the quality of works
The modus operandi to appoint consultants in Pakistan is perilous which badly affects the quality of work. The consultants get qualified technically with an ease. When it comes to the financial side, they bid very low in an attempt to secure the job. Thus, the quality of work with such low bids becomes impossible. Also, they compromise on the quality for saving consultancy fees and for looking after vested interest.
Profits, Engr. Bashir believed, came from project management which is least focused in Pakistan so that the projects should not encounter cost overruns and be completed in time.
Mecca Accord
Engr. Sohail Bashir who is also the head of international Affairs wing of the Institution of Engineers Pakistan (IEP) revealed that Pakistan was helping brotherly Muslim country Bangladesh for entering into Washington Accord.
This effort is the part of the Federation of Engineering Institutions of Islamic Countries, of which only Malaysia and Pakistan have signed Washington Accord. However, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia shares the accord through individual accreditations by its various engineering institutions.
International conferences
The institution has three international engineering conferences on civil, mechanical and electrical engineering as its continuous annual feature. Our partners also participate in these moots which consolidate our linkage in this region and the world as well.
IEP scope
Dissemination of engineering information, innovations and new technologies are our prime object. The institution also plays a kind of advisory role for the governments. We have think tanks of engineers in various sectors which share technical papers and reports with the policymakers.
When asked if the institution is thinking to widen its scope like the IEEEP intends for lobbying with the policymakers, he said they don’t as it would alienate the institution in the region. All charters of such institutions simulate in the region, he revealed. It was taken from British institution’s charter which, with minor changes, was adopted by Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Malaysia, Singapore and now by others in the region
