Imran Khan-endorsed RRR project stirs controversy, probe launched into alleged scam

The Anti-Corruption Establishment in Pakistan’s Punjab province has launched an investigation into an alleged scam related to the Rawalpindi Ring Road (RRR) project that was endorsed by Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan. As per news agency ANI, the spokesperson of the department revealed that the investigating team consisting of legal, technical and economic experts has been set by Director-General Anti-Corruption Mohammad Gohar. The RRR project has stirred Pakistan’s politics as earlier Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) demanded resignations from Khan and other ministers who were allegedly involved in the scam.

"The team has launched a probe into the scandal and after a thorough investigation, all the facts of the project will be made public," the spokesperson said.

Evidence of Khan’s endorsement emerged

ANI stated that evidence of Imran Khan and Chief Minister of Punjab, Usman Buzdar endorsing the RRR project has also emerged. Recently, Pakistan Prime Minister had also directed Buzdar to launch an inquiry into the same project while acknowledging the alleged changes in the route of the project allegedly at the behest of certain private interests. The allegations surrounding RRR have been reportedly so damning that  Zulfi Bukhari resigned as Special Assistant to Prime Minister (SAPM). 

Bukhari’s name was referenced in the report that showed an initial probe into the scam that found more than Rs 130 billion have been made in property deals as part of the RRR project since its beginning in 2017. Meanwhile, reportedly as per new findings, at least 18 individuals in Pakistan who have political links and 34 builders and property tycoons have acquired as much as 64,000 kanals of land in different deals within the limits of the Rawalpindi/Attock loop, Paswal Zigzag, GT Road and Islamabad Margalla Avenue.

The value of those acquired portions of land was reportedly expected to further shoot up since the RRR project started. A separate examination of the official records, directly or through frontmen uncovered that 52 individuals, directly or indirectly have collectively bagged more than 63,828 kanals of land by paying an estimated Rs 31 billion to the real owners. Some of these portions of the lands were allegedly grabbed just in the last four years.

(With inputs from ANI)