Former PTI leader Ziaullah Afridi addressed a press conference in Peshawar on Tuesday. Photo: Geo News screen grab

 

PESHAWAR: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairperson Imran Khan was fooling people of other provinces in the name of merit, said a former minister of PTI, Ziaullah Afridi, referring to the party chief?s speech in Liaquat Bagh, Rawalpindi.

While addressing a news conference in Peshawar on Tuesday, Ziaullah spoke about the Bank of Khyber scam, saying Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Pervez Khattak was involved in illegal hiring in the bank, while Imran was saving his back.

?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.?

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, Ziaullah said he 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-ul-Haq 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.