The inquiry committee formed to investigate alleged irregularities in the Rs170 billion Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation (Carec) road project has submitted its findings to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, and a final decision is expected this week, Dawn reported, citing official sources in the Prime Minister’s Office.
The Carec Tranche-III project — part of an Asian Development Bank-funded initiative — includes four road sections from Rajanpur to Dera Ismail Khan, covering 330 kilometers in total. The project has been under scrutiny by multiple parliamentary committees and the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA) for alleged rule violations in the bidding process.
In September, the Senate Standing Committee on Economic Affairs recommended blacklisting a joint venture of three firms for securing the contract in violation of procurement rules. It also asked the government to inform the Asian Development Bank that the bids were “technically invalid and manipulated.”
The committee was constituted in August after the suspension of eight senior National Highway Authority (NHA) officials over allegations of irregularities and ghost tendering in contract awards.
The inquiry committee, led by retired federal secretary Muhammad Mushtaq Ahmed, included officials from the commerce division, the Planning Commission, and former NHA engineers. It was tasked with examining NHA’s practices in blacklisting contractors, evaluating the transparency of its bidding process for the Carec Tranche-III project, assessing delays, and recommending reforms.
Officials said the Prime Minister’s Office would decide the next course of action after reviewing the committee’s report, which could include further disciplinary measures against NHA officials or a review of the bidding process.
