Over 125 'blue-eyed' appointed in KP assembly before its dissolution

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government appointed more than 125 individuals who were close to the former chief minister, ministers, and assembly staff in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa assembly before its dissolution. 

An official document available with this agency revealed that despite advertisements in the newspapers the official rules and procedures were overlooked to accommodate the blue-eyed.

An official of KP assembly on the condition of anonymity disclosed that the advertisements in the newspapers were floated just to avoid any litigation and for face saving, adding that thousands of candidates applied for the posts but amazingly only the relatives of the former Chief Minister, Ministers and Assembly staff fulfilled the required experience and were appointed.

The document revealed that for Grade 16 to Grade 18, candidates close to former Chief Minister Mahmood Khan were appointed to important posts.

A candidate belonging to the constituency of former CM was appointed as Assistant Secretary in Grade 18. Malik Ashraf, son of former PTI Minister Muhibullah, was appointed as Assistant Director Protocol while former PTI MPA Fazal Hakeem Khan’s nephew was recruited in Grade 16, the document revealed.

Similarly, Abdul Aziz, son of former MPA Abdul Salam Afridi was appointed as Assistant Director Reporting, Sarmadullah Afridi, son of Secretary Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly Kifayatullah Afridi was appointed as Assistant Secretary while daughter of KP Assembly’s Secretary was appointed as Research Officer and his son-in-law was appointed on a post of Grade 16.The son of Special Secretary Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly and his nephew were appointed as Research Officers.

The son of Special Secretary IT Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly Attaullah was also appointed Research Officer in Grade 18.

The candidates who had applied for the posts had urged the Supreme Court, Peshawar High Court, Anti-Corruption department, and National Accountability Bureau to take notice of the alleged illegal appointments so that deserving qualified people could be appointed to these posts.