PESHAWAR, Aug 1: The Peshawar High Court on Wednesday directed the National Accountability Bureau, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, to probe the Rs14 million spending on the repairs of Kohat Tunnel damaged by bombing last year.

The two-member bench comprising Chief Justice Dost Mohammad and Justice Roohul Amin also gave more time to the National Highway Authority (NHA) for completion of the said work.

Earlier, the bench had asked NHA to make repairs on the tunnel by July 31, saying if that didn’t happen, then Kohat district administration not NHA would collect toll tax.

The hearing was later fixed for September 18 with the bench ordering completion of repairs by then.

The chief justice had taken a suo motu notice of the pathetic condition of Kohat Tunnel in March 2012 and directed the NHA to repair the exhaust and lighting systems inside the two kilometers long passageway.

On January 29, 2011, unidentified people blew up an explosives laden truck inside the tunnel, also known as Pakistan-Japan Friendship Tunnel.

In another incident a few years ago, militants from Dara Adamkhel tribal area exploded bombs before leaving it in bad shape.

During the last hearing on July 10, the court had directed the NAB, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, to examine the details of the income generated by the tunnel, which connects central districts of the province with southern districts, and its use over the last four years.

Deputy prosecutor general of NAB Mohammad Jamil submitted a report to the court.

Examining the report, the chief justice observed that the government had been earning around Rs75 million per month from the tunnel but had been spending no money on its maintenance.

Chief operating officer of the tunnel Abdur Rehman Ghandapur and NHA assistant director Kurram Baluch informed the court that the money earned through toll tax had been given to the centre and had not been utilised here.

Mr Ghandapur said he had been complying with the order of the high court and needed more time for installing exhaust system.

He said special lights had already been imported and installed in the tunnel, while spare lights had been stored.

The COO said Siemens company would send in three exhaust systems from Germany on August 3 and reach here in a few days.

He said the tunnel was operational and the link bridges had also been opened for transportation.

Mr Ghandapur requested the court to modify its earlier order and allow them some more time for installation of exhaust system.

The chief justice observed that the court was not fond of getting itself involved in the affairs, which were sole responsibility of the executive authorities, but when the relevant quarters showed indifference towards such issues, then the court had to intervene. He observed that the relevant NHA consultant had been drawing salary of Rs1.5 million but had not been performing his duty and therefore, the court had to point out where repairs were to be done.

The bench questioned where Rs14 million was spent by the contractor as no visible work was carried out before the court had taken notice of the issue.

It directed NAB deputy prosecutor general Mohammad Jamil Khan to probe the matter.