December 15, 2002	Sunday	Shawwal 10, 1423

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SWABI, Dec 14: The recommendation of seven names for the district public safety commission (PSC) has opened the floodgate of accusations and counter accusations as the people who were not selected have appealed to the NWFP governor to take notice of the alleged irregularities committed by the selection committee.

The former member of the Khidmat Committee, Gul Mast Khan, and 13 other people had written a joint application to the NWFP governor informing him about the alleged irregularities in the recommendations of the names for the PSC.

Mr Khan distributed the photo copies of the application among the reporters on Saturday claiming that 33 individuals had applied for the PSC membership and their interviews were conducted by the selection committee, which was headed by District and Sessions Judge Safdar Khan, whereas Brig Mohammed Ayaz (rtd) and Turlandi Union Council Nazim Javed Afsar were its members.

He alleged that the names recommended by the selection committee were of the kith and kin and friends of the members of the committee and the district Nazim.

Mr Khan said that the selection committee had claimed that Ms Zarnosha returned unopposed whereas the name of Ms Shafqat Rani was mentioned in the candidates’ list and was interviewed by the committee, but not selected. The reason, he claimed, was that “she is the mother of Brig Mohammed Ayaz (rtd)”.

He said that the name of Haji Mumtaz Khan was recommended because he was Javed Afsar’s uncle, while the chief executive of the Lakson Tobacco Company, Mardan, Rahatullah, had close relations with Mr Afsar, who had also been the manager of the LTC and at present rented out his godowns to the company.

The former member of the Khidmat Committee said that Ishtiaq Zaman of Jhanda and Mohammed Adnan of Charbagh were Mr Ayaz’s relatives. About Mohammed Arif advocate, he said, that his name was recommended despite the fact that he did not even appear before the selection committee as he was in Nowshera in connection with his brother’s case in the court of sessions judge.

Mr Khan claimed that his name was recommended because he was the defence counsel of Mr Afsar and his disqualified district Nazim Sher in their election petition.

He said that out of the seven recommended members for the PSC only four would be short listed.

When contacted, the recommended members said that Gul Mast Khan had made the hue and cry and he had been running to get his name recommended for the PSC membership. They said that their names were recommended on merit.