Internal differences: CM assures ‘pressure group’ of removing corrupt officials

MPAs accuse Saifullah Niazi, Naeemul Haq, Jehangir Tareen of ‘interference’.


Umer Farooq April 17, 2014
K-P Chief Minister Pervez Khattak PHOTO: APP

PESHAWAR:


Disgruntled provincial legislators of the Pakistan Tehreek-e- Insaf (PTI) have been assured by Chief Minister Pervez Khattak that corrupt ministers and advisers in the cabinet will not be tolerated, insiders told The Express Tribune on Wednesday.


PTI officials said Khattak invited members of the pressure group for a meeting at the Officers Mess which lasted for around two hours, adding Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser and PTI provincial general secretary Khalid Masood were in attendance along with Khattak.

Despite having been assured by PTI Chairman Imran Khan of prompt redressing of their grievances, the disgruntled PTI lawmakers stuck to their demands and repeatedly questioned the existence of elements in the provincial cabinet allegedly involved in malpractices.

Members of the group have repeatedly linked five people to corruption, said an insider, adding the CM has assured them now that those involved in corruption will be removed from their posts.

The unhappy MPAs accused central PTI leaders Saifullah Niazi, Naeemul Haq and Jehangir Tareen for interfering in issues pertaining to the provincial government and asked Khattak to ensure they do not encroach into their domain. Party sources said the PTI MPAs also expressed reservations against the party’s MNA from Swat, Murad Saeed, for allegedly misguiding Imran Khan against the group’s members.

“Saeed has been conveying to the party chairman that we demand portfolios in the cabinet. He wants to misrepresent the real reason behind our frustration as he has some favourites in the cabinet,” said a member of the pressure group, adding they had refuted any interest in cabinet positions in their meeting with Imran.

Terming Saeed a “talk show boy”, the lawmaker said he should cease spreading baseless information about them and instead concentrate on his constituency and address problems being faced by his constituents.

Another member of the pressure group said a meeting has been scheduled for April 20 with the party chairman where all these issues will be discussed again.

He said the CM has assured them of all out support, adding, “We do not care about our assembly seats. If one of our group members leaves the assembly, the entire group will follow suit,” said the MPA.

When contacted, Saeed said he has nothing to do with the provincial cabinet and termed the allegations against him baseless.

“He [Imran Khan] is a visionary leader and does not need to be conveyed things. I am shocked to hear all this,” Saeed told The Express Tribune.

PTI leader Naeemul Haq, considered a close confidant of the party chief, refused to comment on the issue and said his name was never discussed during the disgruntled members’ meeting with Khattak while Tareen and Niazi could not be contacted despite several attempts.

The news of a pressure group within the party was reportedly triggered by a recent reshuffle in the provincial cabinet as some lawmakers were unhappy over portfolios being given to MPAs who joined PTI after being elected as independent candidates.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 17th, 2014.

COMMENTS (11)

Sidster | 9 years ago | Reply

@Adnan Siddiqi: The News is reporting regards to this incident. http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-7-244863-Chinese-firm-illegally-exported-500-ton

I would say that merit was use to stop the mining and exploration of this site.

Sidster | 9 years ago | Reply

@Adnan Siddiqi: Check out this news item regards to same news: http://www.dawn.com/news/1100283/chinese-investors-threaten-to-move-capital-from-kp-to-balochistan The Company broke the Pakistan Mining law 20 B.

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