ANP stages protest outside NAB office in Peshawar

PESHAWAR: The Awami National Party (ANP) protested the alleged prevalent corruption in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the National Accountability Bureau's failure to take action against the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leadership for its corrupt practices.

The protest was staged outside the NAB office in Hayatabad on Monday. The protestors alleged NAB had shown partiality while carrying out accountability. ANP central general secretary Mian Iftikhar Hussain, provincial president Aimal Wali Khan, provincial general secretary Sardar Hussain Babak and other leaders addressed the protesters.

Mian Iftikhar Hussain alleged that the PTI was the most corrupt party in the country. He said it had spent billions on the provincial Ehtesab Commission for hounding political opponents. The ANP leader said that NAB was performing the duty of the government's "bodyguard" as it had turned a blind eye to the ruling party leaders' corruption. He said NAB had become a tool in the hands of the rulers who were victimizing their political opponents.

He said Prime Minister Imran Khan, former chief minister Pervez Khattak and other PTI leaders should be investigated for their involvement in corruption.

He said the country's problems could be solved through transparent election and by handing over power to real representatives of the people. The ANP leader said that pre-poll rigging had been started in tribal districts with the deployment of soldiers inside polling stations.

He said his party wanted the powers that be to remove the 'imposed rulers' and hold free election in the country. ANP provincial president Aimal Wali Khan claimed that NAB chairman had given green signal for the arrest of former chief minister Pervez Khattak after enough evidence was collected about his corruption, but no action was taken due to intervention of powerful elements.