BRT project: NAB issues call-up notices to one dozen PDA officers

PESHAWAR: The National Accountability Bureau, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, has accelerated the inquiry into the Peshawar Bus Rapid Transit project and has issued call-up notices to around one dozen officers of the Peshawar Development Authority (PDA), asking them to appear before the combined investigation team. All officers have been directed to bring the relevant record with them.

The separate call-up notices issued by NAB KP say that the National Accountability Bureau is investigating corruption and corrupt practices in the Peshawar Bus Rapid Transit project. “During the preliminary inquiry, it has come to light that you have been associated with the project, so you should appear before the combined investigation team of NAB and record your statement. Failure to comply with this notice may entail penal consequences as provided in S.2 of the schedule of NAO, 1999.”

The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has already provided the BRT record to NAB.

An official of PDA, on condition of anonymity, told this correspondent that the project was implemented with the guidance of Asian Development Bank. ADB had reviewed and approved all procurement and consultant recruitment of the project. The Peshawar Development Authority was only the implementing agency. The project was approved by all the relevant forums and payments were also made with the approval of Asian Development Bank.

On issuing call-up notices regarding the initiation of project, he said the Supreme Court in its decision referring to the decision of Peshawar High Court declared that the project was started with the approval of provincial government in accordance with law in which PDA had no role. The approved cost of Peshawar BRT was Rs49.34 billion, which was increased to Rs66.43 billion after revision in the PC-1. However, it was further increased and the cost reached Rs70 billion but the project still could not be completed.

It may be recalled that on July 17, 2018, a bench comprising former Chief Justice Waqar Ahmad Seth and Justice Mussarat Hilali ordered the National Accountability Bureau to complete the investigation of the BRT project and submit a report by September 5, 2018.

The former Chief Justice had called the BRT project suspicious and ordered an investigation, but the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government approached the Supreme Court.

The Supreme Court suspended the order of Peshawar High Court on September 5, 2018. A three-member bench, headed by former Chief Justice Saqib Nisar, stopped the NAB from any kind of investigation.

The injunction order of the Supreme Court remained in place for four years, but after the injunction order expired, the National Accountability Bureau initiated re-investigation into the project.