The Rawalpindi Ring Road (RRR) scandal

The Rawalpindi Ring Road Scandal: Unraveling Corruption, Route Changes, and Hidden Beneficiaries

The Rawalpindi Ring Road (RRR) scandal, which erupted in May 2021, stands as a stark example of alleged corruption in Pakistan’s infrastructure projects. Originally conceived as a 38-kilometer ring road around Rawalpindi and parts of Islamabad to alleviate traffic congestion and boost economic connectivity, the project became mired in accusations of unauthorized route alterations, inflated costs, illegal land acquisitions, and undue benefits to private housing societies and politically connected individuals. Reports indicated that service roads were routed through forests, and route changes escalated land acquisition costs from Rs 6 billion to Rs 16 billion, contributing to an overall project cost inflation of approximately Rs 25 billion. The scandal prompted investigations by Punjab’s Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE), the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), and the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), ordered by then-Prime Minister Imran Khan. At the center of these allegations was Sayed Zulfikar Abbas Bukhari (Zulfi Bukhari), a close aide to Imran Khan, whose involvement highlighted how personal connections allegedly influenced public projects for private gain.

Background of the Project : Original vs. Altered Route

The RRR was initially planned under the NESPAK 2018 feasibility study as a partial 38-40 kilometer bypass from GT Road at Rawat/Banth to Thalian Interchange on the M-2 Motorway. This original alignment avoided Capital Development Authority (CDA) lands and forests, keeping land costs low at Rs 6-7 billion (approximately Rs 6.7 billion) and the total project cost between Rs 23.6 billion and Rs 33.7 billion (per the 2021 PC-I approval, including Rs 27 billion for construction). The route was designed to bypass urban congestion, passing through key points like Adiala Road, Chak Beli Khan, Murat (near the New Islamabad Airport), and Chakri Road, before ending at Thalian. This efficient design aimed at minimal environmental impact and cost, with a focus on public welfare.

However, in 2021, under the PTI government, the route was allegedly altered without proper approval, extending it to 65-66 kilometers by incorporating the “Attock Loop” and “Paswal Zigzag.” This unauthorized extension, prepared by Zeeruk International, diverted the path from Murat behind the M-2 Motorway, through Fateh Jang Road in Attock district, creating a zigzag in Paswal toward Sangjani, and optionally reconnecting at Chakri Road before ending at Sangjani with a Margalla Avenue connection. The changes added new interchanges and service roads, purportedly to “protect” forests like the 100-year-old banyan tree in Rawat, but investigations revealed they primarily served private interests.

Zulfi Bukhari’s Alleged Role and Benefits to Acquaintances

Zulfi Bukhari, a UK-born Pakistani politician and Imran Khan’s Special Assistant on Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development, was accused of leveraging his influence to orchestrate these route changes. A fact-finding report by Rawalpindi Commissioner Syed Gulzar Hussain Shah claimed Bukhari pressured officials to realign the road near properties linked to his estranged relative, Dr. Syed Tauqir Bukhari (a distant relative with no close ties, per Bukhari’s defense), benefiting approximately 130 kanals of land. Another report mentioned Bukhari’s sister, Sakina Bukhari, whose 130 kanals of land allegedly gained value from the alterations. Opposition parties like PML-N alleged Bukhari and Aviation Minister Ghulam Sarwar Khan reaped financial gains exceeding Rs 2 billion from lands near the revised route.

Bukhari denied owning any property near the RRR or involvement in real estate, labeling the accusations as “media’s obnoxious lies” and offering to add his name to the Exit Control List (ECL) to prove his innocence. He resigned on May 17, 2021, citing moral grounds, but remained a PTI advisor. Critics argued this was a strategic move to deflect scrutiny, as Bukhari’s proximity to Imran Khan allowed him to influence bureaucrats like former Commissioner Muhammad Mahmood, who executed the changes under pressure from “influential personalities.”

How the Route Changes Led to Cost Escalations

The alterations extended the route by 25-28 kilometers, incorporating unnecessary loops and zigzags that routed through pricier private lands in Attock and Paswal. Land acquisition costs surged from Rs 6-7 billion to Rs 16-19 billion (an increase of Rs 10-12 billion), as expensive private properties—often owned by politically connected individuals—were purchased at inflated rates. For instance, in the Attock Loop, 4,474 kanals were acquired for Rs 3.416 billion at rates twice the market value, compared to Rs 1.673 billion for 6,603 kanals in Rawalpindi, causing a Rs 2 billion loss to the government. Total land acquired was 8,992 kanals (8,161 in Rawalpindi Tehsil, 831 in Gujar Khan), with costs exceeding Rs 12 billion.

The overall project cost ballooned from Rs 23.6-33.7 billion to Rs 48.6-59 billion (some reports cited Rs 64 billion for the full loop), including Rs 2.6 billion in unauthorized expenditures by bureaucrats. These increases stemmed from added interchanges, service roads benefiting housing societies, and higher construction/material costs due to the extended length. The changes were made without provincial approval, violating the original PC-I, and were justified under pretexts like environmental protection, but probes revealed they favored private gains.

🗺 Original Route (38–40 km, NESPAK 2018 Plan)

• Start: Channi Sher Alam Bridge (GT Road, Rawat/Banth Mor, near Radio Pakistan Tower)

• Stops (sequence):

  1. Adiala Road Interchange

  2. Chak Beli Khan

  3. Murat (near New Islamabad Airport Interchange)

  4. Chakri Road Interchange

• End: Thalian Interchange (M-2 Motorway, north of Chakri)

🗺 Altered Route (65–66 km, 2021 Scandal)

• Start: Channi Sher Alam Bridge (same as above)

• Stops (sequence):

  1. Adiala Road Interchange

  2. Chak Beli Khan

  3. Murat (same as original, loop starts here)

  4. Attock Loop Start (detour behind M-2, via Fateh Jang Road, adds 15–20 km)

  5. Paswal Zigzag (inside Attock, towards Sangjani)

  6. (Optional) Chakri Road reconnect

• End: Sangjani (Margalla Avenue Connection, Islamabad)

Beneficiaries: Private Entities and Influential Figures

The route extensions and additions disproportionately benefited private housing societies and politically connected landowners. Societies like Blue World City, Capital Smart City, DHA Phases, Bahria Town Extension, Faisal Town Phase 2, and Rudn Enclave saw their land values skyrocket as the altered path provided bypasses and access points, enabling billions in sales. At least 50 influential individuals and developers were poised to gain, with 18 national/provincial assembly members identified as beneficiaries. Barren lands in Attock were acquired at premium rates, favoring “irrelevant” but connected owners.

Bureaucrats like Mahmood and Land Acquisition Collector Waseem Tabish (arrested in July 2021) had personal interests in these projects, misusing authority to favor landlords. Payments were questionable, with higher rates in Attock than Rawalpindi, and the focus shifted from public farmers to elite developers.

Investigations and Outcomes

Federal and Punjab governments mandated inquiries, with ACE submitting a report to Imran Khan in July 2021. Mahmood and Tabish were arrested for Rs 2.6 billion irregularities, but Bukhari, Sarwar Khan, and CM Usman Buzdar received a “clean chit,” with no direct evidence linking them. The altered route was canceled, reverting to the original 38.3 km alignment (now 50% complete as of 2025, with revised costs at Rs 39 billion due to inflation/delays). NAB’s probe emphasized merit-based accountability, but no major political convictions followed.

In a clever maneuver, the PTI government, facing mounting opposition voices from PML-N demanding judicial probes, initiated what appeared to be a sham investigation to exonerate key figures like Zulfi Bukhari and Ghulam Sarwar Khan. Despite clear evidence of route manipulations benefiting acquaintances, cost inflations burdening the public exchequer, and undue advantages to housing societies and politicians, the probes focused on lower-level bureaucrats, allowing the main culprits to walk free. This selective accountability undermined PTI’s anti-corruption narrative, highlighting how political influence can subvert justice in Pakistan’s governance. As of September 2025, the project progresses, but the scandal’s legacy endures as a cautionary tale of systemic failures.