Supreme Court extends restraining order on BRT probe

The Supreme Court has extended the stay order against the Peshawar High Court's decision to send the investigation of the Peshawar Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA).

A two-member bench headed by Justice Umar Ata Bandial heard a petition filed by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government and others against the Peshawar High Court's decision.

During the hearing, Justice Umar Ata Bandial said that the petitioner had raised objections on the appeal of the provincial government and the government could not run away from responding to these objections.

Petitioner Adnan Afridi, who filed the petition in the Peshawar High Court, told the apex court that the project was constantly being demolished after construction.

Justice Omar Ata Bandial remarked that the example of one step forward and two steps back on the project is true.

Justice Umar Ata Bandial said that the BRT project is being made with the money of the people and the provincial government is the protector of the money of the people, therefore, the money of the people should be spent carefully.

Justice Omar Atabandial questioned when the project would be operational, to which the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa lawyer informed the court that the completion date of the project is July 31.

The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa lawyer said work on the project had been suspended for 25 days due to Corona and the contractor had not yet given a new date.

Later, the court sought a reply from the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government on the petitioner's objections to the project.

At the same time, extending the restraining order against the decision of the Peshawar High Court, the hearing of the case was adjourned indefinitely.