PESHAWAR, May 23: Leaders of the Vegetable and Fruit Dealers’ Association, Surkh Dheri, Mardan, have urged the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam leadership to hold an inquiry against MNA Maulana Shujaul Mulk who, they alleged, had taken Rs2.1 million graft from the association for shifting of the vegetable market to the Nowshera Road, Mardan.

Speaking at a joint news conference at the press club here on Wednesday, association president Islamuddin and general secretary Meh Ghani said they had no option but to pay the money to the MNA for early shifting of the market from the Charsadda Road to Surkh Dehri on the Nowshera Road. They alleged that Maulana Mulk – who is also the JUI provincial general secretary – was pitting one group of vegetable and fruit dealers against the other for his personal interests. They said the MNA’s younger brother Jalilul Mulk was supporting some dealers running an illegal market on the Charsadda Road.

The traders had brought the Holy Quran to swear upon it that they were telling the truth against MNA Mulk who, according to them, was fanning hatred among the business and trader community of Mardan. They said they had talked to MPAs Amant Shah and Maulana Idrees and JUI provincial chief Senator Maulana Gul Naseeb Khan and explained to them “anti-people” activities of the MNA, but they were keeping a mum over the MNA’s venal transactions.

They said the provincial government had spent Rs15 million on the market at Surkh Dheri, but the MNA and NWFP Minister for Local Government and Rural Development Sardar Mohammad Idrees were acting against directives of their own government on the matter.

They asked the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal government to hold an inquiry into the matter and take action against the MNA and Sardar Idrees.

Answering a question, they said they had paid the graft under duress as they had no other option.