No investigation under way against any minister, MPA, says Khattak in Geo programme Jirga hosted by Salim Safi
KARACHI: Former DG Ehtesab Commission, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Lt Gen (retd) Hamid Khan has said that eliminating corruption is one of the claims of Imran Khan but it has not been fulfilled, as KP ministers are involved in corruption. “We had received complaints in this regard”, he said, adding “on the one hand they claim to be against corruption, while on the other they make the department weaker”.
He stated this in the Geo programme ‘Jirga’ hosted by Salim Safi on Sunday.
Should a law when enforced on someone bring about a change or not? The law which is made for politicians and bureaucrats is amended by them themselves, he said.
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister has said that they had just made amendments to the law. “Tell me one thing: does any department have one head or five? Our decisions had not been made by only the director general. We too had weekly meetings attended by the prosecutor general, director general investigation and additional director in which it was discussed whether a case is investigated or withdrawn,” he said.
When asked that the law under which he became the director is also made by the same assembly, Lt Gen (retd) Hamid Khan said that the law was not made by the assembly but a few experienced people made an act and presented in the assembly that approved it. There is a big difference in making and approving a law, he added.
To a question that there were allegations that he had become personal and the secretary whom the government entrusted a responsibility to was arrested, he said that you can check his record. Was a case registered against the secretary before he suggested amendments or afterwards?
“I had also said that those making amendments now will be our guests after a few days”.
Replying to a question whether action was being taken against bureaucrats, advisers and ministers, Hamid Khan said yes not only against the serving but also against former bureaucrats and ministers.
To a question that did he send a questionnaire to Pervez Khattak in the Ziaullah case as Imran Khan and the chief minster were happy with him, Hamid Khan said he did not send any questionnaire but there were a few things which we shared with them.
Ziaullah’s claim was true that action was being taken against some of the chief minister’s men. The CM’s negligence was also part of it. If proceedings continued, a case with regard to minerals will be filed in the Accountability Court very soon.
“The chief minister is co-accused in the Ziaullah Afridi case or you can say his office was used. For this, he was not happy with me. I had already informed him (the CM) that there was an allegation of his involvement.
“The CM’s name was being taken in the Tangi mines case and I had talked to him that action is under way in this regard.
When asked if action is being taken against ministers in the accountability court, Hamid Khan said yes, two to three ministers and members of the provincial assembly were facing legal action. “All these are PTI members. There were only a few cases of the secretary-level but there are more cases of lower level officials. By the time I left, there were two to three secretary level cases and we had arrested them.
“We were stopped when an inquiry was under way against Masoom Shah. Besides, one case against Pervez Khattak was sent to NAB. The work of NAB expedited after our joining. Since it is in law that the centre has the last verdict, cases were transferred to NAB.
“Under the Act, Anti-Corruption Department was to be merged into the Accountability Court but they did not do so.”
Responding to allegations that the office of the chief minister was used for a scandal of billions of rupees, Pervez Khattak said he had asked the advocate general to investigate the truth as soon as he came to know about it, as he had done nothing of this kind in his life.
“I came to know that there was neither an inquiry nor any investigation and it was a mere allegation. I would also like to say that neither was any investigation going on against any incumbent minister or against any member of the provincial assembly. We want that there should be accountability, clear and transparent, and there should not be any injustice.”
Replying to the allegation of Ziaullah Afridi that he was entrapped in the matter by the chief minister, Pervez Khattak said he was himself surprised, as he never had any link with mining. He was playing a political trick by involving Pervez Khattak in the matter. “If anybody from my village is the owner of a mine then I do not have any link with him. I have not found any solid reason against Ziaullah so far.”
Speaking about the Charsadda-Tangi case, Pervez Khattak said “we recommend the people but are more careful in this matter, which can be checked from the records. I am also changing with the present system”.
Speaking about the powers, the chief minister said the government has not revoked any powers and all of the powers rest with the commission, which is all powerful as usual. “I had only suggested consultation. Hamid Khan is lying,” he asserted. “I am not involved in any wrongdoing. Not a single rupee was consumed illegally in my house nor will it ever be. I challenge Hamid Khan to prove it. The government had not appointed Hamid Khan. A committee was formed which had four commissioners which were appointed by him. It is being alleged that I was the only one who made amendments to the law. It was passed by the assembly which also continued discussions on it for six months. All of the opposition leaders were also present in the discussions and it was decided unanimously. It is the legislative assembly which legislates, we only bring amendments to improve it. Hamid Khan wanted a one-man show but we did not restrict his powers.”
