The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has achieved a major victory in its 25-year history by saving Rs168.5 billion and securing the withdrawal of contractors’ claims totaling Rs31.5 billion against the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) government at the International Court of Arbitration (ICA). This significant achievement comes as a result of NAB’s investigation into the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Project in Peshawar, which uncovered illegal awarding of contracts, misappropriation of government funds, and submission of bogus performance guarantees by the contractors.
The investigation revealed that several contracts for civil works of the BRT project were awarded illegally, with international firms subcontracting the work to local firms for a fee without actually performing the work. Additionally, the contractors failed to meet project deadlines and submitted fake guarantees and audit reports. As a result of NAB’s intervention, the project was completed at its original cost, saving Rs9 billion. NAB’s actions also led to the disclosure of the individuals involved, their placement on the Exit Control List (ECL), and the issuance of red warrants by Interpol. NAB’s support and supervision of negotiations between the contractors and the Peshawar Development Authority (PDA) ultimately resulted in an agreement where the contractors withdrew their claims, including the ICA case, against the provincial government in exchange for a reduced payment of Rs2.6 billion from the PDA. This landmark achievement underscores NAB’s commitment to combating corruption and safeguarding public funds.
