The Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Thursday referred the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) for further investigation.

A divisional bench the Chief Justice of Peshawar High Court, Justice Waqar Ahmed Seth and Justice Mussarat Hilali, announced its judgment in the much-highlighted case, directed NAB Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to investigate  alleged irregularities in the project, which has been marred by one delay after another.

The court directed the NAB to investigate why the BRT project was not completed on time and why its costs escalated.

The deadline for completion of the BRT project has been delayed several times. The first deadline was April 20, which was extended by a month to May 20. The then-project director had told media that the civil work would be completed by June 20, which was also missed.

The cost of the project, at the same time, has purportedly hiked from Rs 49 billion to Rs 64 billion.

Earlier in July, NAB Khyber Pakhtunkhwa asked the Peshawar Development Authority to submit record of the mega project, after NAB Chairman Justice (retired) Javed Iqbal ordered an inquiry into alleged corruption and delay in completion of the BRT project.