NAB chief orders inquiry into BRT project

PESHAWAR: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Chairman, Justice (retd) Javed Iqbal, on Friday ordered an inquiry into the alleged corruption, increase in estimated cost and non-completion of the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project within the stipulated time period.

The NAB chairman’s inquiry order came after it was directed by the Peshawar High Court (PHC) to conduct an inquiry into the BRT, the flagship project of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)-led provincial government. “The delay, contract awarding process, feasibility and all the issues relating to the BRT project are all shady and shaky. And as such, the NAB authorities are directed to conduct proper investigation, inquiry regarding transparency of the project and submit its report before September 5,” a division bench comprising Chief Justice Waqar Ahmad Seth and Justicein a writ petition filed by Amanullah Haqqani, a former provincial minister belonging to Maulana Fazlur Rahman’s Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-F.

A communique issued by the NAB KP stated that the NAB chairman has ordered the Bureau to conduct an inquiry into the alleged corruption, increase in the estimated cost of the project and non-completion of Trans Peshawar Rapid Transport System (BRT) within the stipulated time period, which caused delay and increased undue suffering of the people of Peshawar especially and the people of KP in general.

"The NAB chairman ordered NAB Director General for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to conduct the inquiry to find out why the estimated cost of the project has increased to Rs64 billion from initial estimates of Rs49.36 billion," the NAB KP stated. Astonishingly, it said, the project is still incomplete despite the whooping increase of project's cost. It said that the NAB chairman also ordered to find out why the estimated cost of the project has increased and why the project was not completed within the prescribed time schedule.

The NAB chairman said the NAB would continue playing its role in ensuring judicious utilisation of national funds and elimination of corruption from the country. It is pertinent to mention that that the NAB before the PHC order had initiated the Complaint Verification process in the project.

An official of the NAB told The News that earlier the NAB had only started Complaint Verification and after this process, the NAB chairman ordered the inquiry to ascertain any wrongdoing. However, he said, the NAB chairman ordered the direct inquiry into the project after the PHC order.