Mashhood bribe scam will be probed

• CM orders three-member committee to probe ‘secret’ video footage in which incumbent law minister is shown taking alleged bribe from a notorious human smuggler in 2012
• Rana Mashhood tells press conference ‘his hands are clean’

Punjab Minister for Law, Sports and Education Rana Mashhood Ahmad Thursday rejected the corruption allegations levelled by a private TV channel against him, while on the directions of Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, Labour Minister Raja Ashfaq Sarwar has formed a three-member commission to probe the allegations levelled against the Punjab law minister.

The commission comprising Raja Zafarul Haq, Rafique Rajwana and Begum Zakia Shahnawaz, will present its report in seven days.

Addressing a press conference at Punjab Sports Board, Mashhood said that he had never received money through any kind of corruption, adding that a joint investigation team (JIT) of Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) had declared him innocent while a court on the basis of JIT report had also cleared him.

The minister said that Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) was a democratic party and believed in dialogue for resolution of all political issues. He claimed that the PML-N government had put the country on the road to progress and prosperity, however some elements did not want to see Pakistan prosper economically.

The minister said that political rivals were afraid of 14-month performance of the PML-N as rupee value had allegedly stabled, exports of the country had increased and new power projects were being launched in the country.

To a question, the minister said that people had given mandate to the PML-N and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) must respect it. He said that the Parliament was the best forum to make reforms.

The minister said that PTI chief Imran Khan should not make PTI as B-team of Dr Tahirul Qadri, adding that Sheikh Rasheed and Pervaiz Elahi, who were participating in the Azadi March, had already been rejected by the people.

To a question regarding Inqilab March of Pakistan Awami Tehrik (PAT), he said that PAT chief was hatching conspiracies through his fiery speeches and statements which could create unrest and destroy law and order situation in the country.