Federal agency to scrutinise road projects

Prime Minister Imran Khan yesterday said the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) had been tasked to investigate alleged corruption in road construction projects.

The premier announced this at the groundbreaking ceremony in Islamabad for the upgradation of Balochistan’s 80-km long Jhaljao-Bela Road. The project will facilitate the movement of the people of Balochistan to other areas and increase economic, social, industrial, agricultural, tourism and cultural activities in the region, while creating around 3,000 job opportunities for locals.

Striking cost difference

Imran said the per-kilometre cost for the project launched by his government was cheaper than the cost in the PML-N’s tenure seven years ago. Khan said his government was spending two hundred million rupees less on a four-lane road than the projects completed in 2013 by the previous government.

The premier announced action against those involved in wide-scale corruption in the road construction industry in the past saying the practice had long pillaged taxpayers’ money. He assured to make the findings of the investigation public.