Question hour: Governor K-P among taxation department’s legal advisors

PPP parliamentary leader says that the governor’s name occurs twice in the list.

PESHAWAR:

A shocking revelation to lawmakers on Friday was that Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Governor Barrister Masood Kausar is among the current serving legal advisors to the Excise and Taxation department.

The issue was pointed out by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) lawmaker from Kohistan, Abdul Sattar Khan, during the question hour. He asked how a governor, who holds the highest post in the province, can act as an advisor to any department.

Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) parliamentary leader, Abdul Akbar Khan, said that the governor’s name occurs twice in the list. It first appears from March 3, 2008 to November 16, 2012, while another entry shows him on payroll from July 20, 2012 for a period of two years, with monthly payment of Rs50,000 and transport and daily allowance of a grade 20 officer.

K-P Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs Barrister Arshad Abdullah said that the list was old as Kasaur was the legal advisor before assuming the seat of governor. He added that Kasaur’s name will remain among the members of the panel and he can join when his tenure is over.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 15^th, 2012.