ISLAMABAD – The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has reportedly declared thePeshawar Bus Rapid Transport (BRT) project “transparent”, stating that thecompanies for the project were shortlisted by the bank, according to amedia reportlink.
According to a statement, the project was also discussed during a recentlyheld ADB Board of Directors meeting.
Earlier, the Peshawar High Court (PHC) had directed the NationalAccountability Bureau (NAB) to open investigations into the BRT project andsubmit a report in this regard on September 5.
The petition was submitted by Amanullah Haqqani, leader of JamiatUlema-e-Islam, Fazlur Rehman’s group (JUI-F), stating that a feasibilityreport of the project had not been prepared before it was started. Thepetitioner accused the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government ofmisleading the public to make them believe the project would be completedwithin six months.
“The delay, the contract awarding process, feasibility and other issuesrelated to the project of BRT are shady and shaky,” Chief Justice of thePHC Waqar Ahmad Seth said in a written order. The verdict was coauthored byJustice Mussarat Hilali.
The order stated that the scope of the project had increased by 50 per centwhile the last date of its completion was June 21. It went on to add thatthe initial approved cost was an estimated Rs48.3 billion but a revisedproposal called for an approval of Rs67.9 billion. This, the court said,needed further investigation.
The PHC observed that the project was contracted to a company that had beenblacklisted by the Punjab government and that funds from other publicprojects were shifted to it. The court relieved project director IsrarulHaq of his duties, stating they had no objection to his transfer elsewhere.