Karachi, Sindh: An anti-corruption court heard the Yellow Line BRT corruption case after authorities submitted a preliminary report on alleged irregularities worth Rs8.5 billion in the project.
The report named former Project Director Zameer Abbasi and other individuals, according to anti-corruption authorities. Investigators alleged that officials disregarded financial controls and governance procedures during project execution.
Investigators reviewed three major components of the Yellow Line Bus Rapid Transit scheme. They included the New Jam Sadiq Bridge, the Dawood Chowrangi Depot One, and the Indus Hospital Depot Two projects.
The preliminary findings accused Abbasi of granting contractors undue benefits. The report also accused Abbasi and Director of Procurement Jhaman Das of misuse of authority.
Read: BRT Yellow Line Irregularities Top Rs8.5bn In Karachi
The report said the relevant contracts did not allow advance payments or financial assistance to contractors. It is alleged that officials still facilitated financial support worth billions of rupees.
Investigators claimed that about Rs8.5 billion was provided to contractors without the required bank guarantees. They said the payments caused a loss to the public exchequer.
The Anti-Corruption Establishment registered a criminal case after a May 29 inquiry into alleged financial mismanagement in the World Bank-funded Yellow Line project. It said the inquiry covered the same bridge and depot contracts.
The report submitted before the court identified multiple procedural and financial irregularities, according to anti-corruption authorities. The case remains tied to preliminary findings and has not established guilt.
