Two ex-ministers among 40 suspects arrested over graft in 2015: KPEC record

PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Ehtesab Commission (KPEC) has arrested about 40 suspects, including two provincial ministers, on the charges of corruption and corrupt practices and misuse of power  and causing a loss of over Rs6 billion to the provincial exchequer since April 2015.

As per the record of the KPEC available with The News the commission nabbed about 40 persons, including two former ministers one of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf-led provincial government former provincial minister, Ziaullah Afridi and PPP’s former provincial minister Liaqat Shabab.

So far the KPEC had registered 16 cases of corruption and corrupt practices, misappropriation of funds, illegal mining and misuse of authority. As per the record, the accused persons have given a loss of Rs6,071,665,000 to the provincial exchequer. The KPEC made its first arrest in April 2015 by arresting five people, including father of a PTI MPA, Noor Daraz Khattak on the charge of grabbing Rs250 million government land in Kohat.

Another arrest by the KPEC was that of PTI serving provincial minister for Mines and Minerals Ziaullah Afridi.  The KPEC had charged the former provincial minister Ziaullah Afridi in three cases of corruption in mines and minerals and illegal mining.

The first case against Ziaullah Afridi was about corruption in mines and minerals and illegal mining in Mamakhel mining.

The other co-accused are Director General Mineral and Mines Department Dr Liaqat Ali, Khan Pervez, Haseenuddin, Ghuncha Gul and Gul Sher. In the first case, the commission claimed that a loss of Rs450,000,000 was given to the exchequer.

The second case is about Tangi Chromate Illegal Mining against Ziaullah Afridi and Dr Liaqat Ali and claimed a loss of Rs3540,000,000. The third case is of Sahara Mineral Abbottabad Illegal Mining against Ziaullah Afridi, Dr Liaqat Ali, Naheed Akhtar and Jaffar Shah. They caused Rs680,000,000 loss to the exchequer. All the three cases are still under investigation.

However, the Peshawar High Court had restrained the KPEC from arrest of the secretary Mines and Minerals Mian Waheeduddin in the scam.A former PPP provincial minister for Excise and Taxation Liaqat Ali Shabab was arrested for accumulation of huge assets beyond his legal means, which are disproportionate to his legal income.

The commission claimed that the minster caused Rs792,000,00 loss to the exchequer.In the General Bus stand case regarding corruption in bidding, the commission arrested deputy secretary Local Council Board Ayub Jan, and claimed that a financial loss of Rs61,565,000 was given to the exchequer.

In the Social Welfare Department case regarding misappropriation of foreign and government funds through corruption and corrupt practice, the commission arrested Dr Murad Ali Afridi, chief of Child Protection Commission, Ijaz Muhammad deputy child protection officer, Hishamuddin Khilji proprietor Top Gear Rent A Car, Noorullah ex-additional secretary Zakat, Afsar Khan ex-District Social Welfare Officer, Nisar Muhammad ex-administration officer, Insafur Rehman ex-district social welfare officer, claiming that a loss of Rs120,000,000 was given to the exchequer.

In the Director General Health Office case about misappropriation of government funds through corruption and corrupt practice, the commission arrested Dr Janbaz Afridi Deputy Director EPI, clerk Zahid Ali Sajjad Ahmad contractor and a financial loss of Rs30,000,000 was given.

In the Shangla case about assets, Umar Hayat ex-auditor was arrested and claimed that a loss of Rs30,000,000 was given to the exchequer.

Similarly, in Iqra University case about illegal allotment of plot its owner Ubiadur Rehman was arrested and claimed that a loss of Rs140,000,000 was given. In the Kohat Development Authority case commission in a low value plots illegally changed with high value plots as there was a ban on changing of plots, arrested Attaullah Jan that give a loss of Rs60,000,000. 

The KPEC also arrested Imtiaz Ayub, an additional secretary of Finance Department, on charges of making illegal appointments and misappropriation of funds in the social welfare department when he was its director during the previous provincial government. The commission also arrested his office assistance Sardar Ali and claimed that both had caused Rs50,000,000 loss to the exchequer.

It said that in the case of CCO TMA Nowshera about misuse of power and corruption, the commission arrested CCO Asad Gul, Administrative officer Ijazudin and a contractor Arifuddin that gave a loss of Rs30,000,000 to the exchequer.