- CM Khattak supports KP speaker, his stance on corruption charges
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser on Saturday said a baseless propaganda has been initiated against him of buying 35-kanal house in Bani Gala – a residential area located in the federal capital at the eastern bank of Rawal Lake.
Addressing a press conference, he said that if any one pointed out and proved his alleged 35-kanal house in his name at Bani Gala, he would transfer its title to that person. Chief Minister Pervez Khattak was also present on the occasion.
“I had declared all my assets in my nomination papers with the election commission in 2013,” Asad Qaiser said. In case of proving just one allegation, he would quit politics, he told a questioner. Talking about his village house in Swabi, he said that he moved to this new house, back in 2011.
“Everyone knows that it was completed before 2013 elections and it was built on eight kanals of our family land,” he added. On the occasion, Chief Minister Pervez Khattak said that his presence was meant to convey that he supported Asad Qaiser and his stance.
“TV channels and newspapers are full of allegations, so we have brought all records out in the open. If anyone else wants to corroborate them, we will provide them the money trail,” he added. “Whatever property and home he has, has been registered in his name since before 2013,” he said.
He said that he would solve the matter and initiate an investigation. However, he said that any case which rests with the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) cannot be taken up by the Accountability Commission of the province.
Allegations of corruption and misuse of authority by the provincial speaker were brought up on Friday, following which investigators had reportedly asked the NAB chairman for permission to initiate an investigation. NAB had alleged that Asad Qaiser owned a mansion in Bani Gala worth Rs350 million.
The bureau also accused him of taking a cut from construction projects and hiring illegally in government departments. In his letter written to NAB chief, a NAB director has stated that Asad Qaisar shared a 14-marla house with his four brothers, but now he owns a five-kanal bungalow worth Rs50 million.
The letter also read that the speaker has had a house worth Rs350 million built on 35 kanals of land in Bani Gala. The official stated that there have been allegations against Asad Qaisar of receiving 30 percent kickbacks in different development projects and that there is a clear difference between the speaker’s assets and his sources of income.
