Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) disgruntled MPA and erstwhile provincial minister for mineral development, Ziaullah Afridi said that Imran Khan was fooling people of other provinces in the name of merit, while referring to the party chief's speech in Liaquat Bagh, Rawalpindi. Speaking at a news conference at Peshawar Press Club on Tuesday, Ziaullah Afridi alleged that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Pervez Khattak and Finance Minister Muzafar Said are involved in corruption, and illegal hiring the prime financial institute, the Bank of Khyber, while Imran was saving his back.
He said he would soon announce observing sit-in outside Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Ehtesab Commission to force it take action against them. Afridi said Imran Khan and Jamaat-e-Islami Emir Siraj-ul-Haq were avoiding taking action against the CM and finance minister in the illegal appointment of managing director of Bank of Khyber.
The appointment of BoK, PTI dissident MPA claimed was a big scandal and in case it was investigated properly then Siraj-ul-Haq's position would be worst than that of Nawaz Sharif under the Article 62-63 of constitution. He said that the JI chief by protecting his minister was drowning the richest bank of a poorest province, saying that it was duty of the people to raise voice against the provincial government for failure to control massive corruption.
"Khattak is involved in loss of billions of rupees of the bank," Ziaullah said. "Although Imran says he does not interfere in the affairs of the bank, but he and Khattak are concealing each other's corrupt activities." The former minister alleged that scores of people including the MD and members of board of directors had been appointed illegally, in violation of merit in the BoK which proved that the PTI and JI were not serious to stop corruption in the province.
Ziaullah, who was the minister for minister and mineral development in the KP government, was dismissed over charges of corruption in his department. During his news conference, the ex-minister alleged Khattak to be involved in illegal mining as well. About Bank of Khyber Managing Director Shams-ul-Qayyum, PTI disgruntled leader said Qayyum was illegally appointed. "Jamaat-e-Islami chief Siraj-ul-Haq is requested to voice the illegal activities of the Bank of Khyber managing director."
Jamaat-e-Islami, which is in coalition with PTI in the KP government, is the party to which KP Minister for Finance Muzaffar Said belongs. The finance minister is the one whom the Bank of Khyber administration has alleged of pressuring them and making illegal appointments.
"Siraj is letting Bank of Khyber drown [just] to save his seat," Ziaullah said. Therefore, the former minister added, he will conduct a sit-in outside the Ehtesab Commission, demanding Imran and Khattak to present the KP finance minister for accountability. Regarding his affiliation with PTI, Ziaullah said the KP Assembly records had him mentioned as an MPA of the party. The former minister said he has not decided to join any political party but would do so after consultation.
The BoK scandal surfaced in April 2016 when its managing director levelled many allegations of interference in the bank's affairs against the KP finance through newspaper advertisements. The minister responded by publishing advertisements in the newspapers to clarify his position. He also levelled counter-allegation against the Bank of Khyber's managing director.
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