ISLAMABAD: The Natio­nal Accountability Bureau (NAB) did nothing for over four years on an alleged mega corruption case regarding the award of the Rs148 billion contract of Karachi-Lahore Motorway’s (M-3) Abdul Hakeem section.

Interestingly, Federal Minister for Communica­tions and Postal Services Murad Saeed, while presiding over a meeting on Thurs­day termed M-3 a model motorway and announced that it would be opened for traffic on March 30.

He also said the Faisalabad toll plaza would be removed for public convenience on March 24.

The minister said the Intelligent Transport System (ITS) was installed on M-3 due to which it may be termed a model motorway. Besides, the latest digital system was employed on it which includes handling emergencies, controlling traffic accidents, lane marking, placement of LED screens, electronic toll collection, the weigh station system and installation of optic fiber cable as well as maximum civic and travelling facilities at service areas.

According to details, the NHA had awarded the contract of 230km M-3 Abdul Hakeem section in Aug 2015 to a joint venture of local firm ZKB and China Railway-20 Bureau Group Corporation during the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz government ignoring serious shortcomings in the successful bid.

Published in Dawn, March 15th, 2019