Peshawar BRT project: PPP submits complaint to NAB chairman

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan People's Party Thursday submitted a complaint to the National Accountability Bureau Chairman Justice (Retd) Javed Iqbal for an inquiry against ex-chief minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Defence Minister Pervez Khattak into the delay and mega corruption in the Peshawar Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project.

A delegation of Pakistan Peoples’ Party Parliamentarians Khyber Pakhtunkhwa met with Chairman Justice (retd) Javed Iqbal and submitted a complaint against the delay and other issues in the Peshawar Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project.

The delegation comprised Hamayun Khan, Faisal Karim Kundi, Nighat Aurakzai, Ejaz Durrani and Sher Azam Wazir. The PPP in its complaint requested that the Peshawar BRT project be investigated and a reference under section of 18 of the NAB Ordinance 1999, may be filed before the competent court of jurisdiction for its adjudication so that the black-sheep could be surfaced and they be dealt in accordance of law.

In their complaint, the PPP stated that the applicants feeling them aggrieved from the irregularities committed by the provincial government of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in the Peshawar BRT project.

The PPP in its complaint questions about the award of contract and technicalities involved in the project, the survey reports, assessment of ridership, import of buses, acquisition of land and its utilization and compensation made on based on nepotism, favoritism, biased and daring irregularities floating on the surface of the record, which has caused grave loss to the government exchequer and further weakened the economic situation of the province.

The PPP in its petition stated that the project cost of the project was Rs39.5 billion and its completion time was fixed of 6 months but the project which was started in 2017 still incomplete and its cost escalated to over Rs70 billion, which is still enhancing due to delay of completion of the project. The PPP petition stated that it was widely published by the then provincial government headed by Pervaiz Khattak and his other subordinate government functionaries through electronic, print and social media that the costs incurring upon the said project are far less than the other projects of like nature undergone in the country and on the basis of same, wide readership and attention of the Pakistani nationals was drawn, however, to the utter misfortune and disappointed of the applicants, till completion of said project (which has not yet been completed) the costs reached almost twice as much to the other projects and even after completion the failures and defects of drawing, maps, construction and roads are apparent on the surface which are not only time gaining/wasting time but also resulting into further increase on the financial side burdening the common man with extra taxes and inflation, pushing the public towards the worst life style who are already living below the line of poverty.

The PPP petition stated that the BRT project was so devised to implicate as if it will bring peace, prosperity and tranquility to the inhabitants of Peshawar. Country to the shallow claims of PTI led government, the said projects has uprooted the very economic fabrics of district Peshawar. The key stakeholders that have affected since inception of the projects is bypassed in the name of public welfare, the residents of Peshawar have constitute a Qaumi Jirga, in which businessmen, merchants, teachers, professor, students, laborers, lawyers and other people from all walks of life are protesting against the unjust delay and apparent irregularities in the said project causing loss not only to the government exchequer but has also ruined the business and day to day affairs of the residents of the area followed by the consequence of pollution, dust and disconnection/ dismantling of the main roads/access points to the schools, hospital, markets, business places and their residences.

In the meanwhile, speaking on the occasion Justice (Retd) Javed Iqbal said NAB respects all politicians and bureau does not have any affiliations with any party, group or individual. “The NAB has its first and last affiliation with state of Pakistan. Eradication of corruption is not only priority of the NAB but the bureau is taking practical measures to eliminate corruption from the country,” he said.

The NAB chairman gave hearing to the complaint of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa PPPP delegation’s request of conducting complaint verification against BRT project Peshawar saying NAB believes in accountability for all and self-accountability as per law.

Later talk in with the news after submitting the complaint on Peshawar BRT project, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa PPP President Hamayun Khan said that NAB chairman assured to examine the issue. He said ex-chief minister KP Pervaiz Khattak use all the funds of the provinces in the project but two years past the project is still incomplete.