ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has formed a cabinet committee for finalising recommendations on the Bhara Kahu bypass project, which would be presented before the federal cabinet for a final decision.

The committee is supposed to finalise the recommendations within five days.

The alignment of the under-construction Bhara Kahu bypass project also crosses a portion of Quaid-i-Azam University (QAU). Last month, Islamabad High Court (IHC) granted stay on a petition filed by the university teachers against the use of the university’s land for the project. However, work on the remaining portion of the road project continues at full pace.

When IHC’s Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb resumed hearing of the case on Friday, an additional attorney general informed him that on the direction of the court a cabinet committee had been formed which will finalise its recommendations and place them before the cabinet meeting.

IHC extends stay on work on QAU land

He also shared a copy of the notification for constituting the committee with the court. The notification was issued by Secretary to PM Dr Syed Tauqir Shah on Thursday.

The notification said the prime minister, in term of rules 17(2) of Rules of Business 1973, and in the light of observance/directions made by IHC has been pleased to constitute a cabinet committee, comprising Minister for Law and Justice Sardar Ayaz Sadiq (convener) and Minister for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb.

By special invitation, Adviser to the PM Qamar Zaman Kaira, the secretary interior, secretary Federal Education and Professional Training, the chairman CDA, vice chancellor QAU and Additional Attorney General Munawar Iqbal Duggal will be members of the committee.

The notification added: “The Prime Minister has further been pleased to direct that since the issue at hand is of public importance and high priority, therefore, the Committee shall prepare its recommendations within a period of five days and place the same before the Federal Cabinet for decision/deliberation.”

Advocate Kashif Ali Malik appeared before the court on behalf of the petitioners.

The court after hearing the view points of Mr Malik and CDA’s counsel decided to extend the stay till November 21. Meanwhile, the court was informed that a public hearing for environment impact assessment (EIA) will be held on Nov 18.

The CDA’s contractor, National Logistics Cell (NLC) has been doing piling work (underground pillars) of the one kilometre flyover project, which is part of the Bhara Kahu bypass road. The total length of the bypass road is 5.33km – 4km is grade road and 1.33km elevated (flyover). CDA officials have said that the project worth Rs6.5 billion will be completed within four months in accordance with the announcement of the prime minister.

They said there were two major components of the road – a flyover and an interchange – and currently work was in progress on them with full pace.

The officials said these two components would be completed within two months.

The CDA is constructing an interchange at the starting point of the project near Malpur and most of the piling work of the interchange has been done.

A few weeks ago, the QAU syndicate with a majority of 9-2 decided in favour of the bypass road and approved the CDA’s offer of providing the university 225 kanals against its 199 kanals of land that falls in the alignment of the road.

Published in Dawn, November 12th, 2022