• Lawyer Saif claims a three-member committee investigated allegations against former cabinet member
• Former C&W minister Shakeel has accused the provincial government of “embezzlement”.
• Sher Afzal Marwat meets Imran in Adiala

ISLAMABAD: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provincial minister was sacked on the instructions of PTI founder Imran Khan, the KP chief minister’s information adviser, over alleged corruption, lawyer Muhammad Ali Saif claimed on Saturday.

Meanwhile, Shakeel Ahmad Khan, the former communications and public works minister, has accused the provincial government of embezzlement. He also claimed that he had “resigned” from the cabinet and insisted that he had not been removed.

Mr Saif, who met the PTI founding chairman in Adiala Jail on Saturday, said there were extensive discussions on the decision to remove Mr Shakeel from the Cabinet.

“Following the instructions of the PTI founder, a (video) message was sent to workers, officials and cabinet members,” he said.

Mr Saif said a committee set up by the PTI founder was investigating the corruption allegations against Mr Shakeel.

Mr Khan “personally selected” the committee members – Shah Farman, Qazi Muhammad Anwar and Musaddiq Abbasi – and they compiled the report based on all the statements and evidence, Mr Saif said.

After the report was submitted to Prime Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, the process of dismissing the minister was initiated.

Giving details of his meeting with the jailed PTI founder, Mr Saif claimed that he expressed his concern about corruption in the provincial government.

“The PTI founder stressed that there would be zero tolerance for corruption and it was in this context that the committee was formed.”

Mr Saif said the same committee would continue to prepare reports after the investigations and take decisions on the basis of those reports.

He added that he would convey Mr Khan’s message to party workers and request them to address any complaints or concerns to the committee.

The PTI founder also expressed his displeasure at attempts to create the impression of a split within the PTI on social media.

He instructed the workers not to join any group and to “stay united.”

“The PTI founder has also ordered that those trying to sow discord and factionalism within the party should be thwarted,” Mr Saif quoted the imprisoned party leader as saying.

Deviating from his election manifesto, Mr Shakeel said he “resigned” due to differences with the provincial government, which he accused of “poor governance and disregard for the PTI’s election manifesto”.

In his resignation letter addressed to the Governor, which was also circulated on social media on Friday evening, Mr Shakeel said he was leaving the Cabinet post with “great disappointment”.

He cited the provincial government’s compromise on the basic principles and commitments made by the PTI to voters during the election campaign as reasons for his resignation.

“The people voted for the PTI because of its anti-establishment stance, but the provincial government has taken a step back from its principled stance,” he said.

The former minister also claimed that poor governance and corruption “at all levels of the provincial government” had destroyed the PTI’s image in the eyes of party workers. “I am holding myself accountable in all forums.”

Meeting with Marwat

Meanwhile, PTI MP Sher Afzal Khan Marwat also met them in Adiala Jail on Saturday.

This was their first meeting in three months.

Mr Marwat, the fiery PTI chairman, was expelled from the party’s core committee amid infighting as many members were dissatisfied with his uninhibited attitude and his habit of speaking out openly against his party colleagues.

After his meeting with Mr Khan, Mr Marwat told reporters outside Adiala Prison that “there was an exchange of complaints from both sides”.

He claimed that he had put aside his differences with the party, following the instructions and assurances of the party founder.

Malik Asad in Islamabad also contributed to this report

Published in Dawn, August 18, 2024