PPP seeks NAB reference against Khattak over Peshawar BRT

PESHAWAR: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) on Thursday filed a request with National Accountability Bureau (NAB) seeking action against defence minister and former Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister Pervaiz Khattak over inordinate delay in completion of the Peshawar Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project.

PPP KP President Humayun Khan, secretary general Faisal Karim Kundi and vice president Akhunzada Chattan submitted an application to the NAB headquarters, demanding that the corruption watchdog carry out a probe against the minister over delay in competition of the multi-billion BRT project.

They stated in the application the net cost of the project has reached Rs70 billion and there is apprehension that it might increase further. Initially, the cost of the project was estimated at Rs39 billion and it was to complete within six months, they added.

The PPP leaders said the government has failed to complete the project within the stipulated time, causing hardships to the denizens of Peshawar. Under Article 9 of NAB Ordinance, an increase in a project’s cost is illegal, they argued.

The PPP leaders requested the NAB chairman to order a probe into the matter and file a reference against Khattak.

Last month, the Provincial Inspection Team in a report had pointed to the heavy losses incurred by the national kitty owing to faulty planning and designing, negligence in execution and poor management of the BRT project.

Relevant consultant reports including feasibility study, drainage report, geotechnical report, highway report, structure report, traffic report, survey and utilities report were found incomplete leading to frequent design changes during the execution which caused a delay in the completion of the work as well as the loss to the public exchequer.