SC stops FIA from probing Peshawar BRT project

Apex court adjournes the hearing for an indefinite period

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court (SC) on Monday stopped the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) from probing Peshawar's Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) for alleged irregularities.

A three-member SC bench, presided by Justice Umar Ata Bandial, heard the petition filed by the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) government against the FIA probe.

Inquiring about the details of the metro project's costs, the apex asked what the initial cost was and when would the years-long project be completed.



The K-P government's lawyer implored that Peshawar High Court (PHC) had issued its verdict of probing BRT project without seeing the records adding that the learned judges had not added a word of analysis or reasoning of their own.

The counsel professed that PHC gave a verdict which the petitioner had not even requested.

"The petitioners had simply prayed for obstructions in front of their houses to be removed. What the PHC ordered was beyond the scope of this prayer," he said.

The counsel further said that the project will be completed by July 31.

Ordering the FIA to stop probing in the project, SC adjourned the hearing for an indefinite period.

In December last year, PHC ordered the FIA to investigate alleged financial irregularities in the BRT project.



A special team including technical experts headed by an additional director would lead the investigation into Peshawar’s mass transit project.

PHC had sought a fresh probe into alleged irregularities in the project. A bench, headed by PHC Chief Justice Waqar Ahmad Seth, had instructed FIA to submit its findings within 45 days, and take action against the officers involved.