FIA yet to submit BRT probe report as deadline ends tomorrow

PESHAWAR: Peshawar High Court’s deadline for submitting an inquiry report on Peshawar Bus Rapid Transit will end Monday (tomorrow). But credible sources confirm that the inquiry is under process and the report is yet to be completed.

The Chief Justice Peshawar High Court, Waqar Ahmed Seth, had ordered an immediate inquiry into the flagship project on Dec 2, 2019, underlining that submission of the report must not take more than 45 days. The FIA had confirmed that orders of the honorable CJ were received on Dec 5, 2019, and a committee was constituted subsequently. The sources confirmed that the committee has summoned Peshawar Development Authority, Transport Department, P&D Department and Trans Peshawar officials for investigation. The BRT contractor and consultant were also summoned.

The Khyber Pakthoonkhwa government and PDA had already moved the Supreme Court to stop the FIA from probing the Bus Rapid Transit project but the case is not yet fixed for hearing in the apex court. An official of FIA told this scribe that inquiry is in process and the PHC has not fixed any date in the BRT case. “We will submit our reply as soon as the new date of hearing is fixed by the honorable court. However, it is not possible to conclude the inquiry in 45 days, maybe we need more time to finish it but it will be decided at the time of next hearing,” the officer said.

However, former Secretary-General of the Peshawar High Court Bar Aminur Rehman Yousafzai told this scribe that the case was disposed of and now it was binding on the FIA to submit its report to the registrar. “The PHC has directed the federal agency to complete the report as soon as possible but not later than 45 days and submit its findings to the registrar. If the inquiry is not yet completed, they must submit the initial report along with a request for the extension in the deadline,” he said.