Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz led federal government has enhanced the cost of E 35 Hazara Motoway project from Rs 30 billion to Rs 35 billion without seeking approval of competent forums, well informed sources said.

The federal government to please his party workers has also changed the design of the project as it has now turned from 4 lanes to 6 lanes project.

According to laws and procedure the cost enhancement and change in design of any project without seeking consent from the competent forums is a heinous crime and the responsible persons could be punished under criminal laws, official document revealed.

Hazara Motorway a 110 km long starts from Burhan and ends near Havalian in KPK will connect western route of Pak China Economic Corridor with Karakuram Highways and could play a key role in boosting the social and economy conditions of its adjacent areas.

Hazara Motorway project known as E-35 is being financed by federal government under its PSDP funding and National Highway Authority (NHA) is administrating the project.

Hazara Motorway was started by the incumbent regime with great fanfare but as usual the project has been hit as expected with tales of corruption and mismanagement at its earlier stages.

The official documents reveal that cost enhancement of any project is sole prerogative of CDWP and ECNEC and without their consent the cost enhancement of any project if increased is crime.

The official document available with this correspondent points out that PC-1 of Hazara Motorway approved Rs 30.40 billion for the project that is now increased to Rs 34.90 that caused accumulated 5 billion loss to the national kitty financed by the poor peoples’ taxes.

A well connected source told that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has directed Chairman NHA to alter the design of the project and turn it from 4 lanes to 6 lanes. When the design of the whole project was changed then the cost of the project would automatically increased.

The source told this scribe that when Chairman NHA drew the attention of PM Nawaz Sharif towards the procedure and said without approval of the competent forum the design of the project could not be changed but the PM then directed him to act on his order, the source revealed.

The Hazara Motorway is passing through the constituency where Pakistan Musim Leagure Nawaz emerged a victorious party. The project is likely to be completed in 2017 as construction firms are already working on it and more than 50 per cent work on the project has been completed. A National Highway officer on condition for not disclosing his identity told this scribe that the project has been splintered into three parts and has been awarded to three different construction firms including a Chinese company. On the package that starts from Burhan to Jari Town, a Chinese construction firm is busy and it has completed 58 per cent work on the project.

Second package starts from Jari Town to Sarai Saleh was awarded to Amin Jan Construction Company and it has also completed 40 per cent of the project.

Third Package starts from Sarai Saleh to Havelian was awarded to ZKB Constructions and it has completed 50 per cent work of the project.

The source told that NHA has prepared fresh PC-1 of the project that would be despatch to the planning division for approval and in the meanwhile the payment would be paid to the companies.

The senior officer of NHA told that it is fact that cost and design of the project has been changed without the approval of the competent authority and under the law the project could not be executed without approval of competent forum.

He said changing cost and design of any project is a crime and the responsible officer could be tried under criminal law.

The officer said private firms engaged in the construction of the project have deposited their bank guarantee worth of million rupees before the start of their activities.

On behalf of NHA we had fulfilled all its responsibilities and it is political leadership that has changed the cost of the project, the official said.

Daily Times approached Chairman NHA Chaudhry Ashraf Tarar who is very close aide and crony of PM, for his comments but he could not turn up to comment on the issue.