PESHAWAR: A special committee of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly will probe the dispute between the chief secretary and anti-corruption establishment director that led to the immediate removal of the latter from his post.

PTI MPA Qurban Ali Khan through a point of order drew Speaker Asad Qaisar’s attention towards a media report, which stated that director of the anti-corruption establishment Ziaullah Toru was transferred from his post on Monday when he (Toru) initiated inquiries against some bureaucrats and their relatives over the alleged involvement in corruption.

He said the disputes among senior officers and immediate transfer were not only embarrassing the government but also damaged reputation and credibility of the government as well as politicians.

“The people will blame politicians when such stories appeared in media,” he said, adding that the people voted for the PTI to turn the province corruption free.

He said the news report contained damaging information and the two officers had also exchanged harsh words.

“It is the war of others while the politicians’ reputation is defamed. And nobody in this house knows about the nature of the dispute that resulted in the transfer of the director,” said Qurban Ali Khan requesting the chair to constitute a special committee to probe this serious issue.

Awami National Party parliamentary leader Sardar Hussain Babak while supporting the mover said that provincial Ehtesab Commission and directorate of anti-corruption establishment functioned under the provincial government.

PTI MPA highlights report about Ziaullah Toru’s transfer over inquiries against some bureaucrats, their relatives

He said earlier, the Ehtesab Commission director general resigned from his post when he started inquiries against the ruling party’s people and officers.

“Now the director of the anti-corruption establishment was removed from his position when he initiated investigations against some officers,” he added.

Babak asked Chief Minister Pervez Khattak, who was present in the house, to remove the confusion and take lawmakers on board about the frequent posting and transfer of officers.

He said the government first appointed ‘good officers’ to key posts and then removed them.

The ANP leader said officers had released advertisements to newspapers against a sitting minister and leveled serious allegations of corruption.

“The province is passing through serious administrative mismanagement and financial crises, which have paralyzed the entire government machinery,” he said.

Opposition leader Maulana Lutf ur Rehman also demanded the formation of a committee to look into the matter.

Minister for law and parliamentary affairs Imtiaz Shahid Qureshi agreed with the mover and requested the speaker to notify a special committee to look into the issue.

Chief Minister Pervez Khattak while replying to a point of order raised by Pakistan People’s Party MPA Nighat Orakzai said a five-member committee had completed its work about the issue of Bank of Khyber.

He said senior minister Sikandar Sherpao, who was heading the committee, would present the report in the house on Monday.

The CM ignored the issue of disputes among senior officers and rather advised the opposition not to bring issues and topics to the house, which were discussed in public meetings.

He said the government would table the amended version of the Ehtesab Act in the assembly on Monday and would take the opposition on board.

The CM said his government had never attempted to bulldoze the opposition and passed all laws with support of the opposition benches.

He dispelled the impression that the government could not utilise annual development funds and said 85 per cent of the current ADP money would be utilised this year.

Earlier, Speaker Asad Qaisar took notice of the continuous absence of some cabinet members from the house’s proceedings and directed ministers to ensure presence in the assembly.

He said he would give a detailed ruling about the presence of senior officers in the proceedings.

Some ministers criticised their colleagues for not taking the assembly’s business seriously and always remaining absence from the house.

Senior minister Inayatullah Khan proposed to the chair to give the ruling that at least additional secretary of the relevant department would present in the house’s gallery to assist the minister concerned.

The house passed the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Civil Servants Retirement Benefits and Death Compensation (Amendment) Bill, 2016.

On the proposal of the opposition leader, the government agreed to defer the passage of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Universities (Amendment) Bill, 2016 and instead extended a related ordinance for 90 more days.

The amendment bill was referred to the select committee to accommodate amendments proposed by members of the treasury and opposition benches.

Published in Dawn, May 4th, 2016