PM Shehbaz to Decide Fate of Rs. 170 Billion ADB Road Project Soon

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has received the inquiry report on alleged irregularities in the Rs. 170 billion CAREC (Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation) Tranche-III road project. Officials say the decision on the findings is expected within days, reported a news daily. The high-value project has triggered major concerns over ghost tendering and violations of public procurement rules. The matter has been examined by five standing committees of both houses, as well as the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority. The inquiry committee was tasked with investigating failures in due diligence, delays in awarding the contract, blacklisting practices, and whether grievances were handled transparently. Eight senior NHA officials were suspended in August when the probe was initiated. Despite this, senators recently raised concerns about continued delays in NHA’s document submissions, questioning whether the Prime Minister’s inquiry committee has been given complete information to reach a fair conclusion. The Senate panel on Economic Affairs earlier recommended blacklisting a joint venture of three construction firms after finding the bidding process technically invalid and allegedly manipulated. The CAREC program is an Asian Development Bank-backed initiative aimed at boosting regional transport links. Under Tranche-III, four major road segments covering Rajanpur to DI Khan remain under scrutiny while the government considers next steps based on the inquiry outcomes.