K & P

K-P minerals minister accused by his party of being a crook

Khalil said around 70 trucks with valuable cargo would be transported out of mines located in Abbottabad

Photo Muhammad Iqbal/our Correspondents July 12, 2015

MPA Yasin Khalil at PPC. PHOTO: MUHAMMAD IQBAL/EXPRESS

PESHAWAR:

While the Minister for Mines and Minerals Ziaullah Afridi was busy nursing health issues after his arrest, his former colleagues in Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf took to some public shaming.

Addressing at a news conference at Peshawar Press Club on Friday, MPA Yasin Khalil said Afridi encouraged mining in Nowshera and Abbottabad despite a ban on the activity for the last few years. He added Afridi was involved in “mass corruption and missed his authority” on several occasions. “He transferred 14 senior officers without any reason and misused his authority,” he said.

Read: PTI's Ziaullah Afridi rushed to hospital due to 'severe chest pain'

Khalil said around 70 trucks with valuable cargo would be transported out of mines located in Abbottabad. Speaking about Nowshera, Khalil alleged about 22,000 tonnes of precious elements were taken out of mines in the district, thus causing losses worth billions to the government. The PTI leader said the commission was free of political interference.

“It is PTI’s agenda to end corruption and it will not even spare its own ministers or lawmakers,” he said. He added the minister could return to the party if he is innocent; otherwise there is no place for him in PTI.

Afridi was arrested on Thursday by the Ehtesab Commission (EC) in a corruption reference related to awarding mining contracts. An Ehtesab court remanded him into the custody of the commission for 13 days.

The political victim

Dubbing the arrest of his client political victimisation, Afridi’s legal counsel said on Friday that his client’s detention would be challenged before the Peshawar High Court.

Read: PTI minister Ziaullah Afridi remanded into Ehtesab’s custody

“The Ehtesab Commission is not a constitutional organisation and its very existence is arguable,” said counsel Mauzam Butt at the press club on Saturday.

The counsel was flanked by members of Afridi’s family and a large number of PTI activists from PK-1; the constituency which elected the minister to the provincial assembly.

“There is a conspiracy behind the arrest of Ziaullah as he was going after the mafia involved in illegal mining. We will challenge his arrest,” said Butt.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 12^th, 2015.

COMMENTS (21)

S Nasir Mehdi | 8 years ago | Reply @Adnoon Siddiqui:The master of this trick of heart problem etc was Zardari who for years remained in hospital nenjoying all sorts of life you may dream of a man- manlike Zardari

jabir khan | 8 years ago | Reply Just so you guys know, there is another Minister in current PTI govt, that is awaiting arrest by NAB. Sadly he too belongs to Afridi Tribe. So yes I'm talking about Mr Amjid Afridi, current Tourism minister in PTI. He previously was in ANP govt and was minister for Housing. As you may know, the Secretary of Housing was arrested earlier this year and NAB is collecting further evidence against Mr Amjid Afridi. It is worth mentioning that His brother Abbas Afridi was recently a senator, who initially was in PPP and became a close friend of none other but Rehman Malik a known corrupt member of PPP. After election of May 2013, he changed parties and become a Federal minister in Nawaz Sharif's govt. He was not elected senator in the past election and lost his seat. CM Khattak is under tremendous pressure to out Amjid Afridi, but so far he is not listening to his party members. It will be a shame if Amjid Afridi is arrested while he is still a minister in this PTI govt. Don't say that i didn't tell you in advance.

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pervaiz | 8 years ago | Reply where is JAHAZ TAREEN who was controlling 90% of mine business in kpk through his dummy companies. All should be brought into justice.

z | 8 years ago | Reply Guys be patient, lord niazi himself a corrupt, dishonest and an opportunist loony. Time will prove that it will be another failed claim of 'across the board accountability' like he did with ex QWP ministers. Nation can never forgive him for his cunning short cuts to be a PM of the state. Loony stooges like raider etc are expected to reply to sting the reality.

asad zareef | 8 years ago | Reply @Adnoon Siddiqui: and that is exactly what's wrong with PML-Noora and PPP-10% he can come back if he's proven innocent

Curious | 8 years ago | Reply @Bol;: Look under your bed

Ayana | 8 years ago | Reply @Kala_bacha: He is not arrested by NAB.

Pakistan | 8 years ago | Reply It is so easy to spot a crook in a party of well behaved honest people. It becomes difficult to spot a crook in a party full of crooks. You get my drift? I am speaking about Nawaz Sharif his Metro brother and PML N.

Adnan Siddiqi | 8 years ago | Reply Has anyone noticed that the man running the mining mafia in KPK has suddenly gone AWOL.......Jahaz Tareen. I guess he has very conveniently decided to sit in Aiteqaaf during the last ashra so that this storm withers away. @Javed, If a crook like Babar Awan jaali degree holder can defend a shameful liar like Niazi against CJ Chaudhry's defamation suit, what's wrong with a PML-N lawyer defending this minister of PTI?

Aamir-Toronto | 8 years ago | Reply @Adnoon Siddiqui......I'm guessing that you are feeling proud after confessing that PML-N defended a murderer (Rana Sanaullah).......shame on you !!!!

Blithe | 8 years ago | Reply Noose needs to tighten around Imran khan Niazi ( who accepted a Prado frim this guy) and Jhangir Tareen ( who has been buying influences on minerals by bribing Afridi and Niazi , the latter through free Rides on the JDW jet plane ).

H Chaudhry | 8 years ago | Reply I just dont get this fascination of PMLN by Imran and his cronies. This is a PTI issue and nothing to do with PMLN but I am amazed at these commentors above who are dragging PMLN here! Got have your house in order first and there is a limit to blame all of your failures and shortcomings on others.

nomi | 8 years ago | Reply @Bol: 'Capitalism is the killer of human race' ?? China came out of socialism and formed communist governance with market-economy (capitalism) to put millions out of poverty. Russia couldn't advance because of its socialist economic structure, and so did North Korea. Capitalism is about allowing free markets - where competition thrives and end-consumer benefits. In free market economy, the Government should collect high taxes and distribute these to improving lives of the poor to bring in equity. I wonder why even after 60 years, we are still not allowing markets to work freely in this country ?

Nk | 8 years ago | Reply These kind of statements seem like everybody knew what afridi was up to. So there were these mines running in banned areas? Everybody knew about these 70 trucks? These aren't easy things to hide. And I guess you guys took action only when afridi either refused to pay someone their cut, or became a problem in some other way where he didn't follow certain orders or picked a fight with the wrong person in pti. What a bunch of crooks. Let everyone get away with corruption, and then when they get caught claim that you're a fair and independent party which is why these people got caught.

Proud Pakistani | 8 years ago | Reply Job or damage has already been done - so what's the use of this drama???

Fawad khan | 8 years ago | Reply Looks like everything done to ensure accountability and transparency becomes unconstitutional whereas corruption and everything done to protect the corrupt becomes constitutional.

Kala_bacha | 8 years ago | Reply So after 2 years they all start talking when NAB arrest him. What were the pti cm doing? Don't be like scratching cat!

Timorlane | 8 years ago | Reply Media cries that nothing is happening against the corrupt and their corruption But when a party takes action against the corrupt in its ranks and government the same media cries it's political victimization. Pakistani media stinks due to the plethora of semi literate people of dubious and sub standard social and knowledge backgrounds

Bol; | 8 years ago | Reply Corrupt Pashtun politicians and bureaucrats are the big threat for Pashtuns, Pakistan and their future. In general every one in any institution with negative intention and corruption either politicians, army general or any one is the big threat for Pakistan, its Nation and even humanity. Further the PTI Govt. honestly and with dedication must take true steps to root out corruption from all MPAs and Govt. Institutions. Its also not fair that Pakistan bureaucracy or generals are exempted. If Pakistani in true sense and faith wants socio-economic development and prosperity of Pakistan and especially its people then no one should be consider above the law. Capitalism is the killer of human race.Hence Pakistan should be the Welfare State with true values of Justice, Faith, Freedom, Rights and Friendly country with very broad vision.

Adnoon Siddiqui | 8 years ago | Reply PTI is showing its real face now. If someone is accused of corruption, they throw him under the bus and ask for his accountability. They should learn from PMLN on how to defend their people. Just look at how we defending Rana Sanaullah after the Model town Mismanagement.

Javed | 8 years ago | Reply The lawyer Muazzam Butt, defending this corrupt minister is itself a proof that he is being defended by a crook who belongs to PMLN.

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