K-P CM meeting with women MPAs sparks controversy

MPA Shagufta Malik says releasing photos of a meeting held weeks ago was incomprehensible

PESHAWAR: A proposed meeting between chief minister with female lawmakers from opposition parties has descended into controversy with contradictory statements being released from both sides.

In a statement, the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) government said that women lawmakers from the provincial assembly met with Chief Minister Mahmood Khan and requested him to release development funds. Photos from the meeting, involving four opposition members and the CM surfaced on Sunday.

However, the women lawmakers claimed that the meeting had been held at least two months ago.

When The Express Tribune contacted one of the participants of the meeting, Awami National Party’s (ANP) Shagufta Malik for comments, she expressed surprise over the development, saying that releasing the photos of a meeting held more than a month ago was incomprehensible.

“It was a routine meeting,” she asserted, lamenting that the timing of the photos was such that it would create the perception that they recently met with the CM for procuring development funds.

Sources at the CM Secretariat, though, rejected the claims, maintaining that the meeting took place just two days ago.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 30^th, 2019.