- With KP determined on removing flaws in Ehtesab Commission Act, ministers say meeting today will dispel impression of political victimisation and media trial
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government Monday announced the removing of flaws in the provincial Ehtesab Commission Act to dispel the impressions of media trial and political victimisation in proceedings against the corrupt.
This was stated by provincial ministers Mohammad Atif Khan and Shah Farman while responding to the criticism of opposition legislators on arrest and media trial of the political opponents of the provincial government.
The provincial ministers said that the act was passed for the eradication of corruption and if the opposition has identified some flaws, they could be removed. They said that a meeting for dispelling the impression of political victimisation and media trial is being convened on Tuesday and they are inviting parliamentary leaders of all opposition parties to attend the meeting and present their proposals in it.
The issue was first raised by Zarin Gul of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F), who on the floor of the House said that a member of the House has been arrested and asked the Speaker either he was informed in connections with the arrest of Ziaullah Afridi.
To the question of Zarin Gul, the Speaker, Asaid Qaiser said that neither he was informed nor was consented before the arrest. The speaker also read out Rule 64 of the house proceedings, which is regarding the arrest of the member of the provincial assembly.
The parliamentary leader of Awami National Party (ANP) Sardar Hussain Babak alleged that chief minister is influencing the Ehtesab Commission for victimising political opponents. He said that they had not opposed the law, but the manner in which the political opponents are victimised is totally against the traditions of the province.
He said that Ehtesab Commission has been made a “joke” and a minister, who was till yesterday defending the provincial government is today attributing it to Pervez Khattak Commission. He said that the government should not adopt personal likes and dislikes in accountability.
Opposition leader Maulana Luftur Rehman said that they are not against the Ehtesab Commission and wanted the eradication of corruption. However, the impression, which is developing is totally wrong. He proposed that instead of media trial, the government should concentrate on the eradication of corruption and instead of personal enmity, the arrests should be made according to the proceedings of the Act.
Arbab Akbar Hayat of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) asked the speaker to use his powers and bring the honourable member in the House as so far, corruption has not been proven against him.
Nighat Yasmin Orakzai of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) said that the speaker is the custodian of the house and how Ehtesab Commission could arrest a member without his permission. The government, she said should not be run as one-man show and extreme steps like arrests should be made on the basis of solid proofs.
Bakht Baidar of Qaumi Watan Party (QWP) said that Ziaullah Afridi is the member of the House and tomorrow his presence in the House will restore the prestige of the house. He said that the provincial government had declared him as “thief” two years back, but it had presented no proofs in courts in this regard.
The speaker asked the government for inviting parliamentary leaders of all opposition parties and lawyers to the meeting of the committee constituted in this regard and welcoming of all kind of proposals for bringing improvement in the Ehtesab Commission.