KARAK: The workers and local leaders of the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf here on Tuesday took to streets against what they called corruption in execution of the development projects in the district.

Led by regional information secretary of PTI retired Col Raza Khan, district general secretary Kamran, district secretary good governance Saleem Khan and labour wing regional vice president Hayat Khattak, the workers of the ruling party gathered at Baz Mohammad Khattak Chowk and marched to the office of Deputy Commissioner Abdul Ghafoor Shah where they staged a sit-in.

Carrying placards and banners, the protesters chanted slogans against corruption. The speakers on the occasion alleged that the district got billions of rupees under the head of oil and gas funds but there was no development work on the ground.

They said that they wanted strict accountability of fund utilisation in the name of development projects. They resolved that they would conduct the accountability by force if the quarters concerned were reluctant to do it.

The speakers also levelled allegations of corruption against their party MNA Shahid Khan Khattak and said that the leaders and workers of PTI collected donations for him during the 2018 general elections.

They alleged that even the posts of Class-IV employees in district headquarters hospital and educational institutions of Karak were sold out at Rs400,000 to Rs500,000.

They claimed that they had solid proofs of embezzlement of the royalty funds and were ready to present the same at each forum. They said that their leader Imran Khan taught them to raise voice against corruption at each forum.

The speakers resolved that they worked according to the vision of their leader. They said that they launched the protest movement against corruption and would continue it till its logical end. They asked the district administration to collect all the evidence of corruption against those, who utilised the royalty funds.

Published in Dawn, February 17th, 2021