KOHAT: Independent MPA Amjid Afridi, who recently joined the Pakistan Peoples Party, has held the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf lawmakers responsible for the miseries of the people of Kohat, especially in his PK-80 constituency, during the last seven years.

Speaking at a press conference at his Azeem Bagh residence here on Saturday, the lawmaker said there was no record available for the corporate social responsibility funds paid by the oil and gas exploration companies directly to the district. There was also no trace of the US 3,000 dollars paid as special fund to the production areas per month, he alleged.

Amjid Afridi claimed that the PTI lawmakers were afraid of the popularity of Afridi brothers as his elder brother had been a state minister and was in the PML-N, while his father was a senator. He challenged that nobody could prove corruption of a single penny against them.

He said over Rs12 billion oil and gas royalty funds were outstanding against Kohat for years.

He said Rs2 billion had been approved for provision of gas in eight union councils of his constituency, besides a 250-bed hospital, a women university and electrification of villages. But the PTI lawmakers got stay orders from court, he added. He maintained that a high court bench had asked MPA and adviser on information and technology Ziaullah Bangash as to who identified the schemes in the PK-80 constituency his reply was he (Bangash). The judge then inquired why he did not he allow Amjid Afridi to identify schemes in his own constituency.

Amjid Afridi announced that his son would contest the elections of the tehsil naizm from Gumbat in the coming local body polls.

He also accused state minister Sheharyar Afridi of depriving the people of Shakardarra, Lachi and Darmalak of gas facility. He said 70 per cent of households had no gas and women brought water from ponds as a Rs250 million water scheme had hit the snags for last 25 years.

Published in Dawn, February 21st, 2021