The domestic construction companies to hire services of ‘internee engineers : Sikandar Hayat Khattak

Lahore : The Federal Government has decided that the domestic construction companies will be responsible to hire services of ‘internee engineers’ instead of ‘supervisory engineers’ to ease financial burden on the construction companies which they were facing because of the revision of guidelines by the Pakistan Engineering Council (PEC).

The new guidelines had been implemented for the fresh and renewal of Constructors license from 1^st January 2017.

Nevertheless, it had created problems of the constructors in renewal of licenses. The renewals for the year 2017 are still pending due to requirement/availability of Supervisory Engineers.

A Constructors Association of Pakistan (CAP) delegation headed by its Chairman Sikandar Hayyat Khattak raised the issue in a meeting with the Federal Secretary Science & Technology Fazal Abbas Maken the other day. Pakistan Engineering Council was represented by Ameer Zameer. Other CAP delegation members were Engr. Syed Iqbal Younus, Khawaja Shoaib Mohiuddin, Naeemuddin Siddiqui and Ikram ul Haq Chaudhry.

PEC representative Engr. Ameer Zameer informed the meeting that the Standing Committee on Science & Technology had already changed the condition and now it would be mandatory for the construction companies to hire internee engineers. The company will be responsible to pay Rs 5000 per month to any such internee engineer while rest of the pay will be paid by the government.

The CAP delegation had complained in the meeting that the Supervisory engineers were demanding Rs. 200,000 to 300,000/- per year without work.  In some cases they are selling their Supervisory Certificates. CAP feels that when the engineer has no practical experience, how he can supervise the work.  He should first get the training in his trade and he should be designated as Trainee Engineer, Sikandar Hayat Khattak recommended and also added that PEC should not delay issuance of constructor’s licenses citing supervisory engineer’s recruitment as an issue.

The CAP Chairman also proposed that while awarding points for ranking of construction companies to award them license, the PEC should also give points for having diploma engineers, office staff and construction machinery.

The meeting also discussed increase in fee and other revisions made by the PEC and Constructors recommended that the PEC may be asked to observe the findings of the Islamabad High Court and the Act of PEC in this regard.

Sikandar Hayyat Khattak also proposed the federal government to set up ‘Construction Industry Development Board’ on the pattern of Malaysia to help boost the domestic construction industry for resolving the issues being faced by the Constructors.

The Federal Secretary asked the Association to prepare a presentation in this regard to be given to quarters concerned.