Former Rawalpindi commissioner arrested
Observer Report Islamabad
Preliminary investigation report of the Rawalpindi Ring Road scandal, which has been submitted to Prime Minister Imran Khan, has cleared all the names of cabinet members.
According to sources, the Anti-Corruption Estab-lishment Punjab has scrutinized 21,000 pages during investigation.
Report was presented by Director General of Anti-Corruption Gohar Nafees to Prime Minister Imran Khan.
The report recorded the statements of about 100 people, proving realigning of the ring road and illegal award of the project.
The report said that the approval to change the alignment of the ring road was not sought from the Provincial Development Board.
However, the initial report of the scandal has cleared the political fig-ures. The preliminary investigation report does not mention the involvement of any cabinet member.
The National Accountability Bureau will investigate the housing societies involved in the Ring Road project.
Anti-Corruption Punjab has registered a case against the deputy project director and others concerned.
The report submitted to the prime minister said that the six-member JIT examined 21,000 pages during investigation.
The claim of the project director to seek instructions from the Punjab Chief Minister was proved wrong.
The report said that the project director and deputy proposed five new interchanges to benefit the housing societies. The Prime Minister’s instructions were violated in the project. The cost of the project was increased by Rs 10 billion after changes in PC One.
Meanwhile, former Rawalpindi commissioner retired Capt Mohammad Mahmood and Land Acquisition Commissioner Wasim Tabish have been arrested by Punjab’s AntiCorruption Establishment for their suspected involvement in the Rawalpindi Ring
Road scam, announced the organisation’s Director General Gohar Nafees on Wednesday.
Nafees, told the media, that the case was forwarded to ACE on May 22 and that his agency completed its inquiry 15 days ahead of the deadline.
He said that the alignment was subsequently changed and the Attock loop was formed, adding that the construction cost of the project due to the changes rose to Rs40 billion.
The DG said that in March 2020, the construction company was directed to change the alignment of the project. He said that this change caused the length of the road to increase from 22 to 68 kilometres.
“The approval (for the change in alignment) was not taken from the Punjab chief minister,” said Nafees about the investigation.
He added that new interchanges were added in the project and no No Objection Certifications were taken from the Capital
Development Authority and National Highway Authority.
