LAHORE: The Punjab government has said it is ready to join investigation the China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC) is conducting into the affairs of a Chinese company, Yabaite, allegedly involved in Multan metro bus project “kickbacks”.

“The Multan bus project had been carried out by three contractors and none of them had any connection with the Yabaite. We are ready to join the CSRC probe in this regard and also want the Security Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) to investigate who is behind leakage of fake documents to a private TV channel anchor who launched a malicious propaganda campaign against Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif (regarding taking kickback in the project),” Punjab government spokesman Malik Ahmad Khan told a press conference here on Thursday. He said the government had served a legal notice on the anchor and the private channel for airing baseless news.

“If they do not apologise in the next 24 hours, we will move the court against them (anchor and the TV channel),” he said, and added no one would be allowed to defame anybody for vested interest.

Mr Khan said that according to the SECP no team of CSRC ever visited Pakistan for investigation or recording statements of certain individuals in connection with the Multan metro bus project.

The SECP said the CSRC had sought assistance from it in the investigation against the Yabaite for violation of the Chinese securities laws.

Khan further said the SECP had sent letters to the Federal Investigation Agency and the Punjab government along with documents with the advice to investigate the matter independently.

He dared the detractors to bring forth documents to prove their allegation against the chief minister or tender an apology.

Published in Dawn, September 1st, 2017

Opinion

Editorial

Tax unrest
Updated 14 Jul, 2025

Tax unrest

Govt has a very poor track record of staying the course of tough decisions that affect the ruling party’s core political base.
Surging numbers
14 Jul, 2025

Surging numbers

PAKISTAN is running out of time — and space. Our population, now over 240m, continues to grow at nearly 2pc a ...
Media matters
14 Jul, 2025

Media matters

PAKISTAN’s journalists are no strangers to living dangerously. The Freedom Network’s new report, Journalism in...
Hybrid worries
Updated 13 Jul, 2025

Hybrid worries

Once elected office is reduced to theatre, useful only for maintaining appearances, it becomes a stage for managing perceptions rather than exercising power.
Bitter taste
13 Jul, 2025

Bitter taste

THE government’s plan to import 350,000 tonnes of sugar, months after allowing the export of more than twice that...
No red lines
13 Jul, 2025

No red lines

THE US’ move to sanction Francesca Albanese, the UN’s Special Rapporteur on human rights in the occupied...