PM Imran Khan rejects inquiry report on New Islamabad Airport project

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan has rejected an inquiry report which suggested that there was no evidence of financial corruption in the construction and operations of the New Islamabad International Airport (NIIAP). The prime minister had constituted a committee to address all issues relating to the airport under the chairmanship of the minister of Aviation Division. The inquiry committee submitted its report to the Prime Minister’s Office last year.

"The PM Office has some concerns on the report, which are now being addressed and the revised report is being prepared by the aforesaid committee," read a written response submitted by the Aviation Division minister before the National Assembly last week.

The development comes months after four retired brigadiers of the Pakistan Army refused to appear before the two inquiry committees assigned to probe the alleged corruption in the NIIAP project. “Four retired armed forces officers [who] have not responded to the allegations included ex-project director IIAP Brig (r) M Touseef-uz-Zaman, Ex-PDs IIAP Brig (r) Iftikhar Ali, Brig (r) Bilal Hameed and Brig (r) Mushtaq Ahmed,” stated Aviation Division Minister Ghulam Sarwar Khan in his written response.

The fresh inquiry report prepared on the directions of the federal government revealed that the delay in the construction of the NIIAP was due to weak monitoring, not owing to financial corruption, according to an official response. The Aviation Division responded to a written question asked by MNA Syed Agha Rafiullah seeking updates on the ongoing investigation into alleged corrupt practices with regard to the NIIAP construction and its poor operations.

The Supreme Court, according to official response, had directed the federal government to form a review committee to examine Lt Gen (r) Shahid Niaz’s report and the inquiry conducted by the FIA (report no 46/2013) to submit its recommendations. The alleged corrupt practices with regard to the construction and operationalization of the airport were investigated by Lt. Gen (r) Shahid Niaz, member (I&M) Planning Commission, who inquired into the delays and irregularities in the project completion and by the then DG FIA Ghalib Bandesha.

Both committees, according to official response, concluded that the delay has been caused due to addition of various packages/works which were not included in the original PC-I and bad affairs of the airport project as per instructions. Consequently, a special review committee was formed under the chairmanship of Engr Shams-ul-Mulk. This report observed that the weak monitoring control on the part of the directors P&D and the project directors resulted in delays and consequently cost overruns. In fact, the report indicates splitting of the project into 17 packages without adequate expertise and mechanism to control its integration and interfacing followed by an inadequate PC-1 as the main reasons of delay and cost overruns.

In accordance with the recommendations of Shams-ul-Mulk’s report, necessary action was taken by the CAA against CAA regular/contract officers after consultation with its legal consultants who, after examining the contents of the report, had suggested the action, the minister for Aviation Division told the National Assembly. Partial action has been taken against persons held accountable/responsible, according to the official response.

Ex PD NIIAP Engr Vikram Singh Sodha has been made OSD and ex-Ad Director Projects Engr Rizwan Ahmed Khan has been awarded a major penalty of reduction to lower pay group from EG¬07 to EG-06 for a period of two years, according to official response. Engr Musharraf Khan, adl director R&D (ex-PDNIIAP and now retired), has also been punished and action against retired CAA employees/contract employees was also taken, revealed the official response. These officials include Salahuddin Arshad, ex-director (P&D), Engr Yousuf Kamal, ex-director (Works & Dev), Sqn Leader (r) Ahsan Malik, Ex-director (P&D), Engr Muhammad Rauhullah, ex- director (P&D), Mubashar Zafar, Ex-director (P&D) Asif Bashir Ahmed, ex-director (P&D).

In August 2018, the Ministry of Interior informed the Senate that some three dozen accused were under investigation. The Geo News repeatedly tried to approach officials of the Ministry of Interior and the FIA to have an update on this inquiry. Their response, however, was awaited till the filing of this story.