Imran Khan at a press conference in Peshawar, as Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa chief minister Pervez Khattak watches on. PHOTO: PPI
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan submitted documentary proof of corruption in court on Saturday against the sacked Qaumi Watan Party (QWP) minister Bakht Baidar Khan.
The district and sessions judge Shaibar Khan announced arguments will be heard from both sides at the next hearing on February 22, to see whether the case is maintainable or not.
Imran Khan’s counsel, Advocate Qazi Muhammad Anwer, said the case should be dismissed from the sessions court, since it is not maintainable.
However, Bakht Baidar’s counsel Kifayat Khan requested the court for a copy of the proof submitted, so they could reply to the allegations leveled against him. The court then ordered Kifayat to file an application to requisition said documents.
Former Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) minister Bakht Baidar has said if a rupee’s worth of corruption is proven against him, he would pay Rs1 billion to Imran Khan and would be ready to be sentenced. Baidar said he only provided jobs to unemployed people, and would do the same if the ministry was given to him again.
“The plaintiff, in violation of the law, directed the appointment of 110 male and 85 female teaching and non-teaching staff at the Working Folks Grammar School, Dir,” read the statement submitted by Imran Khan at the last hearing on February 1. “Thus, these unauthorised and illegal appointments unnecessarily burdened the Workers Welfare Board and, thereby, the public exchequer.”
It added, “From October 1 to November 8, 2013, under the orders of the plaintiff, WWB Secretary Tariq Awan appointed 557 persons at teaching and non-teaching posts, and as drivers, qasids and sanitary workers. Thus, irregularities, illegalities and misuse of power by the plaintiff is a matter of record, which shall be summoned as evidence in court if need be, so the misdeeds of the plaintiff are brought on record.”
The statement went on to posit that Baidar accepted a review petition from Engineer Naimatullah Gandapur, who had been removed from the post of Deputy Director Works by the Workers Welfare Board (WWB) on October 12, 2012.
Gandapur’s petition was arbitrarily accepted by the plaintiff on August 5, 2013, recalling the removal order and reinstating him to the same post with full benefits. A sum of Rs4,882,991 was paid to him as allowance, including medical allowance and telephone calls as arrears for the period from his removal up to reinstatement.
“A double cabin vehicle was allotted to the plaintiff when he was minister, but was in fact misused by his brother,” added the statement. “An expenditure of Rs751,988 was drawn for this vehicle on account of fuel, repair and maintenance.
Bakht Baidar, former minister for industries, commerce and labour, was removed from the provincial cabinet on November 13, along with Minister for Environment Ibrar Hussain Tanoli. The two QWP ministers were sacked over charges of corruption on the directives of the PTI chairman. The move led to QWP breaking out of the coalition government in K-P.
Later, Baidar sent a legal notice to Imran Khan, suing him for Rs1 billion, citing defamation. Imran did not reply to the legal notice, after which Baidar approached the court.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 16th, 2014.
COMMENTS (19)
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Assuming the guy sold each post for an avg 100k, made 55.7 million form these appointments alone. btw 100k is on the low end because i know that in khi mqm/ppp sell teaching jobs upwards of 800k.
@Ch. Allah Daad: I'd rather not trust you.
@zan: If Imran is the only solution to our problems then trust me we are doomed.
Whatever the claimed noble intentions if mis-using authority to subvert due process and rule of law is not "corruption" in Pakistan then we need new words for different shades of corruption.
Dear brothers, i am happy to know that you all take interest in pakistan. but you need to understand one thing that Imran khan is the only solution for pakistan problem. he got the goods to sort the problem out. he guniune feels for pakistan. and plz stop praising Nawaz Sharif. they only there for their own interest. each day our brothers and sister dying everyday. he is just useless person. now pakistani nation need to move forword and elect a leader who can talk in confidence.
Friends of those elements who destroy schools and kill school teachers would never tolerate the appointments of new teachers. Imran and PTI's fake policy about education is exposed.
@fawad: Telling the terrorist and polio workers killers, please don't do it again or else is! I guess fine for you and for some one to provide jobs for his constituents is a crime? Get your priorities straight please.
@Mirza: Only a slave mentality can can justify this. I mean i cannot believe what you have just said. 557 appointments :o ... Minial jobs or not .. These are 557 illegal appointmenta ... A burden on exchequer misuse of power ... And please come out of this Mentality of " since we voted for a person he should now give us jobs IN GOVERNMENT departments " i mean this is so stupid and wrong in every way possible
@Mirza: Dear Mirza would u appoint 9 drivers for a single vacancy? . If yes then come and join QWP
@Mirza: Which army perks you are talking about? Those DHA and Askari colony for which army officers pay from their salary? when these schemes are launched, they are cheap but its you civilians who make them exhorbitant. No govt money, resources are used on their development. These are charged to allottess. If you still need those priviladges then join army and go to Wanna for duty? Let me see how brave you are and you are also like that Superman who needs 50 police commando per shift to give statements to please USA
@Mirza:Mate if this is the way to employee people then hire a thousand more in WAPDA, Railway etc but irony is your statement does make sense because of the condition we are in. If good governance is to prevail then genuine opportunities need to be created and institutions should be profitable or atleast shouldn't be a burden on economy. By hiring extra people in an organization you may do favor to a few individuals for a short term but you are certainly not doing any favor to the nation.
@Mirza: You mean is it fine appoint such posts by trampling merit? I can imagine how those appointees would carry out their job especially in teaching sector.
I challenge IK and CM KPK to bring about formal corruption charges against Baidar Bakht. Until such time, we don't have time for such shenanigans and idiosyncrasy. Besides, IK and PTI are extreme novices when it comes to creating opportunities for political gains.
@fawad:
Yes Fawad! Immi is God's gift to the people of Pakistan.. I wonder what we would have done if God had not sent this cricketer to rescue us from us. I think all the Pakistanis should "baete" on him. Khalifa-e-Pakistan: Imran Khan, Imran Khan!
IK is doing it all wrong. He should have invested all his savings in steel and sugar mills, taken loans and defaulted on them and bought the judges with the profits, then people would recognise that he's got political acumen, and a 'cool' head like Nawaz sharif. He's doing it all wrong by following rule of law. Pakistanis don't understand it.
For the first time in the history if Pakistan, corruption is an issue and is being tackled head on by PTI. Above news item is a reflection of that. Thank you PTI.
"appointed 557 persons at teaching and non-teaching posts, and as drivers, qasids and sanitary workers." You have got to be kidding me! What a shame that an elected minister provided lowest level jobs to poor people in a country where billions are spent on WMD and army perks. If this is corruption and IK is still upset about these lowest of the jobs for his voters then why did people elect them? Of course if the minister charged money for each appointment then it is a crime provided it is proven. IK had proofs against other political leaders and went to UK but what happened? Is he the CM of KPK or just ruling from outside?