SC orders timely completion of train project

ISLAMABAD: In a loud and clear message, Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar has said that no one will be allowed to harass and humiliate a citizen or a bureaucrat and that no hindrance will be tolerated in the way of a public project simply because the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) is seized with an inquiry into it.

The CJP passed the remarks on Thursday while heading a three-judge Supreme Court bench which had taken up a suo motu case regarding the delay in completion of the multi-billion Orange Line Metro Train project.

The court was informed that the project was behind its scheduled completion by 22 months because of a stay order against its construction by the superior judiciary and other disputes. The CJP ordered timely completion of the project and urged the officials concerned to prepare a strategy in this regard. “We will give Lahore something which was left due to the delay,” observed the CJP.

On Dec 8 last year, the SC had given a green light to the project when it finally set aside by a majority of four to one judges the Aug 19, 2016 Lahore High Court stay order against the project with certain conditions, like reduction in speed of the train while passing near the monuments as recommended by the Directorate General of Archaeology from time to time.

The CJP observed that the court would pass a general order while deciding the case that no harassment or humiliation to any citizen would be caused by NAB, which was already on board in this matter.

CJP Nisar was referring to his recent meeting with NAB Chairman Javed Iqbal in which the latter was asked to maintain secrecy till the filing of a reference against any individual so that no embarrassment was caused to him/her.

According to the SC directive, in case any information regarding any investigation is leaked at a preliminary stage, NAB’s investigation officer dealing with the matter will be responsible and his act will be considered as disobedience to the court’s order.

The CJP’s observation came when senior counsel Naeem Bokhari, representing one of the contractors, ZKB Builders, requested the court to order NAB to stay away from the project till the time it was completed, since the atmosphere of fear and apprehensions was a big impediment to the completion of the project.

The counsel assured the court that his client would finish the work even if its outstanding bills were not paid and the unfinished work would be done on a fast track basis.

During the proceedings, Justice Ijazul Ahsan observed that an impression had been created as if the present government was not in a hurry to back the project.

The court appointed Managing Director of the Mass Transit Authority Sibtain Fazal Haleem as the focal person to oversee the project, with a direction that the Punjab advocate general office would be at his disposal in case of any impediment he faced.

Published in Dawn, August 31st, 2018

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