SWAT: Scores of civil society, political and youth activists took to the streets here on Saturday against corruption.

Shouting slogans, the protesters called for accountability of corrupt politicians and government officials before elections.

They insisted that they had stepped out on the call of an unidentified yet popular social media user, Torgul, who highlighted corruption scandals against politicians, especially the PTI’s.

The speakers, including Hilal Danish, Dr Khalid Mahmood, Mohammad Ijaz, Fawad Khan, Syed Izharullah, Abid Ali Jan, Azizul Haq and Irshad Khan, said the country had neared bankruptcy due to the massive corruption of politicians and government officials in the last 75 years and therefore, the residents had taken to the streets to vent their anger against them.

They alleged that record corruption was reported in the last PTI government.

Say elections should be held after accountability of corrupt politicians, official

The speakers said the people were unwilling to participate in elections until the corrupt people were held accountable.

They said accountability should be ensured before elections were held.

“We don’t want elections until all are held accountable for their actions,” a speaker said.

The other speakers alleged that the last PTI government had committed nepotism and favouritism during the filling of positions in public sector departments and organisations.

They accused former chief minister Mahmood Khan of giving away 2,500 government jobs to people on his last day in office.

The speakers claimed that the last government approved Rs160 million for the cleaning of the Mingora stream but the task was carried out for two hours only.

They also said the initial cost of Rs700 million for the construction of Bagh Dherai irrigation channel was revised to Rs2 billion but even then, work remained incomplete.

The speakers said the last government gave away the control of 19 public sector hospitals to contractors at the cost of Rs22 billion but the latter did not spend “a single penny” and the other government funds were used for hospitals. They also alleged massive corruption during recruitment in government departments.

The speakers demanded of the National Accountability Bureau and the Supreme Court to ensure the accountability of corrupt politicians and officials and warned that if the demand wasn’t met, the street protests would be extended to other parts of the province and country.

The protest was organised a day before the PTI’s rally for former CM Mahmood Khan at Nishat Chowk in Mingora.

Published in Dawn, February 12th, 2023