Quetta cannot be secured at its earliest; thanks to red-tapism of bureaucracy, the warring Chinese firms, Huawei and ZTE, and their lobbyists. Initially, the safe city project was awarded to Huawei, however, as soon as the new Chief Minister, Abdul Quddus Bizenjo, swore in the provincial bureaucracy convinced him to show little concern for set criteria and rules.
The provincial capital holds the worst record of law and order situation. The government instalments are not secured. Scores of government officials have fallen in the line of duty along with many civilians. Such extraordinary situation, not less than an emergency, should compel the provincial authorities to take all necessary steps to protect its citizens. Instead, certain factions within provincial bureaucracy are busy filling their pockets, while the provincial capital is the most accessible target for miscreants.
In the present case, even the Balochistan Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (BPRA) while clarifying some issues regarding the award of contract favoured Huawei consortium as it informed the government that the basis of bidding was quality not cost. Yet, after clarification from BPRA, the bureaucracy delayed the process of issuing a letter of intent (LOI), and as soon as the new CM got elected, an opportunity was made to overturn the former CM decision to award the contract to the rightful winner.
The role of provincial bureaucracy in the whole scheme is a murky one. The higher-ups in the bureaucracy of Balochistan are violating the rules and procedures to receive kickbacks. One can think of no other reason why the contract of the safe city was not awarded to the bidder assuring the highest quality.
Two issues that the government in Quetta should take care of. First, considering the worst law and order situation, there should be no compromise on the effectiveness and quality of the project. Every step should be taken to secure the city. Second, those involved in the violation of procurement rules should be held accountable.