ISLAMABAD – Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has formed a high-level Joint Investigation Team (JIT) to examine the One Constitution Avenue matter, following a recommendation from the Cabinet Division.

According to the notification, the JIT has been given 60 days to submit its report. The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has been directed to issue the notification and provide secretarial support to the committee.

The team will include senior officers of Grade 21 and above. A Grade 21 NAB officer has been appointed as the head of the committee, which will also comprise representatives from the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP), Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), and Intelligence Bureau (IB).

The JIT will review legal and administrative matters related to One Constitution Avenue. All federal ministries, divisions and departments have been directed to assist the committee when required.

The recommendation for forming the JIT was made by a committee headed by the Law Minister.

The development comes after the Islamabad High Court recently dismissed a petition challenging the cancellation of BNP Private Limited’s lease in the One Constitution Avenue case. The court upheld the Capital Development Authority’s (CDA) decision to cancel the lease, terming it lawful.

In its written order, the court stated that the company failed to meet the financial conditions set by the Supreme Court. The court noted that although the company paid the 2021 installment, it failed to submit the required 2022 payment of Rs2.916 billion despite reminders.

The court observed that the lease cancellation was carried out in accordance with the Supreme Court’s 2019 directives, under which the company was required to pay Rs17.5 billion within eight years. The court also rejected the company’s objections regarding procedural issues and dismissed its execution petition.