K-P CM-designate denies corruption allegations

Mahmood Khan meets PTI Chief Imran at Bani Gala

ISLAMABAD: Rebutting the allegations of corruption against him, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister-designate Mahmood Khan on Thursday said he is an ideological worker and belongs to an affluent family and thus “does not need indulging in petty corruption”.

He also denied that he is being pitched by anyone in the party for the top slot in the province.

“No one has recommended my name. I am the choice of party chief Imran Khan,” he said after his meeting with PTI chief Imran Khan at Bani Gala.

The K-P CM-in-waiting said it was wrong to say that he had been “planted” by someone and added that he only stood by the PTI’s ideology and the party chief and would try to shun differences, if there are any, among party leaders in KPK.

Mahmood, who was accompanied by PTI Secretary Information Fawad Chaudhry, said that the PTI chairman had given him the go-ahead and promised him complete support.



Explaining the priorities of his provincial government, he said that he would continue with the policies of the previous PTI-led government in K-P in the health and education sectors. “We will focus and invest on the masses,” he said.

About the allegations of corruption against him when he was the provincial sports minister in the last government, the CM-designate said he had large assets which he inherited and he did not need to embezzle such low amount of money for which he was facing the allegation.

He said the PTI had formed the last government in K-P for the first time and this happened because of some inexperience. “I announced some Rs1.8 million as cash prize for different sports tournaments as minister, and the then director-general, sports, had deposited the same amount in an account opened with the name of Minister’s Account,” he said.

He said he had returned the money and the then sports director-general and secretary had been suspended after an inquiry. “I have delivered on my promises in the sports department,” he said, adding he would also deliver as the chief minister.

Responding to a question that he owned assets worth Rs2.50 billion but he gave only Rs1,250 as tax, he said the Malakand Division, from where he belonged to, was a tax free zone and “this is the reason his tax figures are not huge”.

About those rejected for the slot of the chief minister, he said he would meet Atif Khan, one of the strong contenders of the slot, soon and they would work together for the welfare of the K-P people.

About the formation of the cabinet, he said Khan had given him the go-ahead in this regard and added he would finalise the cabinet in consultations with the party chief.