LAHORE: A division bench of the Lahore High Court (LHC) on Thursday constituted an inquiry committee, comprising director generals of three public departments, to probe deaths that took place at the under-construction sites of Orange Line Metro Train (OMT) project and to review protective safety measures of the project. The committee members included director generals of Archeology Department, Environment Department and Lahore Development Authority (LDA). The bench comprising Justice Abid Aziz Sheikh and Justice Shahid Karim directed the committee to survey the entire project and submit a derailed report until June 27. The bench was hearing a number of petitions moved on behalf of civil society members and organizations including IA Rehman, Kamil Khan Mumtaz, Neelam Hussain, Cecil and Iris Chaudhry Foundation, Judicial Activism Panel and Lahore Bachao Tehreek. Petitioners’ counsel Muhammad Azhar Siddique said that this project had become hub of the corruption and National Accountability Bureau (NAB) should also investigate into it. The counsel moved two applications, seeking an amendment in the main petition, to challenge the entire project. The two applications pertained to the government’s revised no objection certificates (NOCs) and loan agreement with Exim Bank of China for the project. Siddique said that the Punjab government could not issue revised NOCs under the law, as issuance of fresh NOCs would mean that the previous NOCs were incorrect. He pointed out that even after issuance of fresh NOCs, there was no substantial change on OMT construction sites. Siddique said that the public procurement rules had also been violated in the project, adding that the government got loans from the EXIM Bank of China on 6 percent mark-up and without proper study. He said that the government had an offer of 0.75 percent mark-up from Asian Development Bank. He said that the Chinese bank agreed to sanction loan of Rs 162 billion for a project worth Rs 200 billion, but the government’s record never showed how it would meet the difference of the remaining money. He claimed that the government had not even bothered to have an analysis of international market for the purpose of loan. He submitted that the government failed to comply with the court orders regarding stay on construction around historical monuments. He requested the court to accept his application to amend the petition and set aside the project. The counsel pointed out that at least 20 labourers had died so far at different sites of the construction, adding that no precautionary measures had been taken either by the provincial government, Punjab Mass Transit Authority, LDA, EPA and contractors of the project. The government law officer, while opposing the application, stated that the application for amendment would be of no avail as it would rebut petitioners’ stance and both sides have already been given a carte blanche to argue on the case. He said that that in such situation, the application for amendment in the main petition was nothing but just to elongate the proceedings. He also submitted that the Punjab government had given a categorical statement that the NOCs issued last year were not in the field and have been superseded by fresh NOCs. The issuance of fresh NOCs render the petition in which the civil miscellaneous application under reply has been filed as fructified, he added. He claimed that the basis of the alleged grievance of the petitioners does not exist anymore; therefore, the cause of action on account of which the petitions were apparently filed was not on the ground. He said that petitioners, having realised the redressal of concerns expressed by the court in its interim order granting injunctive relief, was now dragging his feet merely to prolong the already long drawn out proceedings. He requested the court vacate the stay.