New Balakot City: SC hints at sending ERRA audit report to NAB

CJP sends report to PM Imran, urges him to visit the site

ISLAMABAD: The top court on Tuesday decided to send an audit report of the earthquake rehabilitation body to the prime minister and the economic affairs division while warning that if there is any shadow of doubt regarding any corruption, the report should be sent to the top anti-corruption watchdog for a detailed probe.

This was declared by Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar while chairing a three-member bench of the Supreme Court which was hearing a suo moto case on the construction of the New Balakot city in Mansehra to house the victims of the October 2005 earthquake.

During Tuesday’s briefing, the audit report for the Earthquake Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Authority (ERRA).

The court was further told that the parties involved have also raised their objections regarding the audit report.

"We are sending this matter to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB). Now, NAB will investigate the matter if funds were spent on building the new city. If not, then where did the money go?” the CJP remarked.

The ERRA director general told the court that he only receives Rs60,000 in allowances. At this, the CJP remarked that that is not much.

After reading a report of the commission, he took the stance that determination that 95 per cent of the funds were spent on the administrative budget was incorrect and the reality was that only five per cent of the funds were spent on administrative matters.

The CJP inquired how much was spent on building the New Balakot City. The ERRA chief said that around Rs2.5 billion had been spent.

CJP Nisar, who had visited the site around six months, remarked that if Rs2.5 billion were spent, there is just a substandard road and a couple of tube wells at the site of the New Balakot City.

“I am sending the matter to the economic affairs department,” CJP Nisar said.

The petitioner urged the top jurist to complete the case and deliver a verdict before he retires, adding that since the CJP’s visit to the project site six months ago, all the relevant departments were now alert but were still passing the buck of responsibility.

Moreover, the petitioner said that children of earthquake victims are still studying under the open sky in the Kaghan valley.

While sending the audit report to the prime minister, the court observed that as yet even the old Balakot city does not have basic facilities. He hoped that PM Imran Khan will visit Balakot and address issues faced by locals.

Further hearings were adjourned until December 5.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 14^th, 2018.