QWP questions PTI’s mantra of fighting graft

PESHAWAR: Qaumi Watan Party (QWP) provincial Chairman Sikandar Hayat Khan Sherpao on Monday said the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government’s mantra of fighting corruption was nothing more than a farce.

In a statement, he referred to the internal audit report highlighting glaring irregularities in a project of revenue enhancement

for the Water and Sanitation Services Peshawar (WSSP). He said no action was

taken against the ones responsible for awarding the contract for the project to blue-eyed persons that inflected huge losses on the WSSP.

Sikandar Sherpao said the mantra of fighting corruption was a ploy to deceive the people and harass the political adversaries. The QWP leader said the formation of a committee to probe the matter was meant to hush up the issue. He added the PTI rulers were not serious about eradicating corruption rather it was a tool to victimise the opposition.

Citing media reports, Sikandar Sherpao said a a survey was conducted through a private firm with the aim to enhance the revenue of the WSSP at a cost of Rs11 million in 2015. He added the contract for the survey was awarded to the same company for Rs29 million in 2018.

Quoting the internal audit report and the findings of an internal committee, he said the survey did not bring any benefit for the company despite the fact that a huge amount of money was used on conducting it.

The QWP leader said the PTI government was into the third year of its rule, but it had failed to provide any relief to the people and honour a single pledge made with the people before the last general election.

“Corruption is rampant, which has belied the claims of the PTI to introduce a system based on justice,” he remarked.