BoK probe body quizzes minister, MD, sacked employees

PESHAWAR: The committee investigating the matter of publication of an advertisement against Finance Minister Muzaffar Said by the management of the Bank of Khyber (BoK) is likely to submit its report to the chief minster today.

The committee met with Senior Minister for Social Welfare and Women Empowerment Sikandar Hayat Sherpao in the chair to record the statements of the parties and quiz those involved the matter including the managing director (MD) of the bank, five sacked employees and the finance minister.

Other members of the committee including Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs Imtiaz Shahid Qureshi, Health Minister Shahram Tarakai, Minister for Public Health and Engineering Shah Farman and secretary of the committee Israr Khan, principal secretary to the chief minister, also attended the meeting.

According to the source privy to the meeting, the committee called the MD of the bank, Shamsul Qayyum and quizzed him about the affairs of the bank after the interview of the finance minister that appeared in an English language newspaper on April 14.

The committee asked the bank management to provide copies of the approval of the advertisement of the bank that appeared in a section of the press on April 16. It had accused the finance minister of meddling in the official matters of the bank.

The committee also called the sacked employees and recorded their statements.The source told The News the ministerial probe body also sought documents from the sacked employees substantiating their allegations against the MD.

The employees submitted to the committee what they termed a record of the alleged irregularities committed in the affairs of the bank, the source added. The source said the committee also recorded the statement of the finance minister, who alleged gross irregularities in the appointment of the MD and some other employees made by MD Shamsul Qayyum.

The source said the committee was most likely to submit its report to the chief minister as per its deadline that ends today.When contacted, one of the sacked employees of the bank and president BoK Officers Association, Haider Ali, said they put across their point of view to the committee at the meeting.