Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: Leader of the Opposition in the Punjab Assembly Mian Mehmoodur Rasheed on Saturday moved an application in the Supreme Court of Pakistan, requesting it to allow him to join as a party the Orange Line Metro Train (OLMT) project case being heard by the apex court.

Rasheed, a Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leader, has expressed strong reservations over the project.

“Corruption worth billions of rupees will be uncovered if any investigation watchdog bothers to probe the project. We have serious doubts. Massive corruption will be unearthed if an independent authority, such as the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) or the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), investigates it,” the PTI leader claimed in his application.

A five-member larger bench, headed by Justice Ejaz Afzal Khan and comprising Justice Sheikh Azmat Saeed, Justice Maqbool Baqar, Justice Ijazul Ahsan and Justice Mazhar Alam Khan Miankhel, has been hearing identical petitions filed by Punjab government departments against an order of the Lahore High Court (LHC) for restraining construction on the OLMT within 200 feet of heritage sites.

Rasheed has alleged that the government had appointed its “favourite” consultant and contractor for the project.

“The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) is wasting public resources on mega projects without following the due process. They have ignored and violated public spending rules,” Rasheed stated.

The application further stated that the exact cost of the project, terms of the loan obtained from the Asian Development Bank (ADB), mark-up rate, time of return and insurance details had not been made public. “The feasibility report prepared by MV Asia suggested that the project would cost $2 billion. Now project costs have reached around $2.5 billion,” the PTI leader said.

“Approvals from the Environment Protect Agency were taken by distorting the facts,” he said.

The application further stated that the project was started without getting any no objection certificate (NOCs) required under the Antiquity Act, 1975 and Special Premises Preservation Ordinance, 1985. “The project was started in August/September, but the approval was given on November 16, 30 after dolling-out funds,” the PTI leader said. “The consultants — NESPAK, Dr Roger Pamela, Dr Younas Uppal — are receiving handsome amounts from the government. So, they cannot provide an independent opinion,” the leader of the opposition said.

“Is this project a part of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor? If so, under which agreement or conditions was it made a part of CPEC?” the PTI leader questioned. He said that withholding such information intentionally from the public was a violation of Article 19-A of the Constitution and the Punjab Transparency and Right to Information Act, 2013.

Earlier on August 19, 2016 the Lahore High Court had barred provincial authorities from carrying out construction work within a distance of 200 feet of 11 heritage sites.