Ministry clarifies news on Tawana Pakistan Project
By Adnan Rafique

ISLAMABAD—The spokesman of the Ministry of Social Welfare and special education has clarified the news item appearing in a section of press concerning the closure of Tawana Pakistan Project.
The ministry clarified that Tawana Project, duly approved by ECNEC was started in 2002 and its activities continued till June 2005.
Due to some managerial and design faults found later, its activities were temporarily suspended with the intent to redesign the project, to be re-launched for the benefit of target population i.e. girl students aged 5-12 years and enrolled in government primary schools in the identified districts.
The redesigned version should have been started in consultation with stakeholders which primarily included provincial and respective district governments as well as line departments after its approval by the competent forum.
However, the then National Project Director of Tawana Pakistan Project by-passed the rules and regulations and abruptly started First-Phase Pre-test Program for the period March- October 2007.
So much so that the laid down procedures were not adhered to in awarding contracts for supply of food package/items. Several complaints were received. Similarly, in most of the cases, codal formalities were set aside in hiring the manpower.
As such, the Ministry had to look into the whole affair. The Project is therefore being revised in consultation with all stakeholders and provincial governments and would be re-launched after approval by the competent forum and in accordance with codal formalities. A total number of 136 staff members were hired on contract/daily-wages basis under the project. The services of only 68 have been terminated on the basis that either their contract period has expired or they have been employed without following the rules and regulations.
Wherever, applicable, one month of advance notice has been served.