Corruption charges: Petition at high court seeks suspension of sports minister

Accuses K-P govt of discrimination, urges to take away Mehmood Khan’s portfolio.

PESHAWAR: A writ petition was filed at the Peshawar High Court (PHC) against the provincial Minister for Sports, Culture, Tourism and Museums, Mehmood Khan, for allegedly pocketing Rs1.8 million from discretionary funds.

Earlier, Chief Minister Pervez Khattak had suspended Sports Secretary Ahmad Hassan, DG Sports Tariq Mehmood and DDO Muhammad Tariq for transferring the funds to the minister’s personal account. However, the enquiry report submitted by Hammad Uwais Agha exonerated Khan, saying the handling of financial affairs falls within the jurisdiction of the principal accounts officer and his supporting staff.

The petition was filed by social activist Shakil Wahidullah, through his counsel Muazzam Butt, and nine officials were noted as respondents, including secretary to the governor, chief secretary, minister for sports and the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).

The complaint pointed to official documents that showed two cross cheques worth Rs1 million and Rs800,000 issued by the provincial directorate of sports – each in the name of Minister Mehmood Khan in December 2013 and February 26, 2014. These cheques were deposited in the minister’s personal account held at a commercial bank in Peshawar.

It further reads the respondents’ actions were in violation of Article 5 of the Constitution, Article 2-A.

Wahidullah accused the provincial government of being discriminatory in its suspension, suspending the officials mentioned above while ‘saving’ the minister. “It is the provincial government’s fundamental duty and obligation to treat all citizens equally,” the petition read.

The petitioner requested the court to hold Khan responsible for transferring public funds from the government exchequer to his personal account, and declare the act as unlawful in light of Article 5 of the Constitution. The court should direct the provincial government to remove Mehmood Khan from his current post, the petition concludes.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 18^th, 2014.