Web Desk: Five road development projects in Dera Ismail Khan (DI Khan) face serious questions over alleged financial irregularities after their combined contract value reportedly increased by Rs5.1 billion during the tenure of former federal communications minister Asad Mahmood, son of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Fazlur Rehman.
Mahmood served as federal minister for communications from April 2022 to August 2023. According to the information provided in the report, authorities reissued tenders for five road projects in D.I. Khan during his tenure, while revised rates increased substantially.
The original cost estimates, calculated under the National Highway Authority’s CSR-2014 schedule, stood at Rs1.61 billion. However, the combined approved contract value reached Rs6.71 billion, creating a reported difference of Rs5.1 billion.
The figures raise questions about the justification for the revised estimates, the tendering process and the use of public funds.
The reported cost increases varied significantly across the five projects. Four schemes recorded increases ranging from 51% to 55%, while the fifth registered an extraordinary 427.4% increase.
The most striking case involves the NH-55 Qureshi Mor to Muryali Road project.
Its original estimated cost stood at Rs145.2 million, but the approved contract value reportedly rose to Rs765.903 million. This represents an increase of Rs620.703 million for a single road project.
The scale of the increase raises questions about whether additional construction requirements, technical changes or other legitimate development needs justified the revised cost.
The report also highlights concerns over two different versions of the NHA’s CSR-2022 data.
According to the findings, the revised estimates appeared to correspond closely with bidders’ quoted prices. In addition, some basic information concerning different sections of the roads was reportedly missing.
These discrepancies raise questions about the transparency and integrity of the tendering process, particularly whether the revised rates reflected prevailing market prices and actual construction costs.
The reported increases have also raised questions about the level of oversight exercised during Mahmood’s tenure as communications minister.
Key questions include whether he knew about the decisions to revise the estimates, reissue the tenders and approve the substantially higher contract values.
It also remains unclear what technical or administrative justifications supported the revisions and which authorities approved the additional expenditure.
The report raises questions about whether the Auditor General of Pakistan, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) and other relevant accountability bodies will examine the projects.
It calls for a comprehensive review of the tender documents, original and revised cost estimates, bidders’ quotations, contract approvals and payments.
Such an examination could establish whether the revised prices followed procurement rules, reflected actual construction costs and received the required technical and administrative approvals.
The controversy comes as residents of D.I. Khan continue to face infrastructure deficiencies, inadequate civic facilities and security challenges.
Against this backdrop, questions over billions of rupees in additional development costs have renewed concerns about transparency and accountability in public spending.
The central question remains why five road projects initially estimated at Rs1.61 billion eventually carried approved contract values of Rs6.71 billion.
A detailed, independently verified explanation of the Rs5.1 billion difference is needed to establish whether the increases resulted from legitimate construction requirements, changes in project scope or irregularities in procurement.
Public officeholders and government institutions must remain accountable for the use of taxpayers’ money, regardless of political affiliation, family connections or religious identity.
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