Govt rejects corruption charges in BRT, BTT

The provincial government on Saturday rejected corruption charges in the two mega projects of the provincial government, instead terming criticism as attempts by the opposition to hide their own scandals.

This was stated by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf provincial spokesperson and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Labour Minister Shaukat Yousafzai on Saturday in a statement.

Yousafzai categorically rejected the corruption charges levelled against the two mega projects including the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project in Peshawar, and the Billion Tree Tsunami (BTT) mega tree plantation project across the province.

Commenting on the observations in the audit reports, the minister lamented that the opposition parties were cherry-picking statements from observations in the audit reports for their gain. He reiterated that K-P Chief Minister Mahmood Khan has clearly stated anyone found guilty in two mega projects will be penalised.

Lashing out opposition parties, Yousafzai stated that some of them have been in power for as many as three terms but have not given any mega project to the province and were irked by the projects initiated by the incumbent government.

Commenting on BTT, the provincial minister said that the world has acknowledged it and termed it a success story that must be replicated elsewhere. Further, he said that the BRT has provided a world-class transportation facility to the residents of the provincial capital.

He added that their party has zero-tolerance for corruption and has sacked up to 20 lawmakers in this regard.

Babak demands explanation

Awami National Party's provincial general secretary and parliamentary leader Sardar Hussein Babak on Saturday asked the provincial government why it was reluctant to demand the due payments of net hydel profits from the centre.

In a statement, the parliamentary leader said that the provincial government had failed to secure the rights of the province from the centre.

Babak added that his party has been repeatedly demanding a meeting of all parliamentary parties on the issue.

The central government has failed to provide its due rights to militancy-hit province even though the same party is in the centre and the province but their rights are still being denied.

He added that he had asked several questions in the house on when the provincial government will take up the issue of net hydel profits with the centre.

He warned that if the government fails to secure its due rights, the opposition will stage protests against the central government and a plan will be chalked out to address such practices.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 6^th, 2020.