PESHAWAR: A member of the PTI internal accountability committee Qazi Anwar expressed his confidence in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Speaker Babar Saleem Swati facing an inquiry over alleged irregularities in appointments and promotions.
“KP speaker has not committed any corruption,” said Anwar, “[…] if he commits any mistake in appointments and promotions, then we have the same examples from the past”.
The committee member also said that if anyone is required to be held accountable, it would include former speakers Asad Qaiser and Mushtaq Ghani.
His statement came amid reports of a potential no-confidence motion in the KP Assembly against Speaker Swati.
The KP speaker submitted his response to the ruling party’s internal accountability committee, sources told Geo News, adding that Swati is likely to be removed from the top position if proven guilty of corruption.
“If he refused to leave his post, then a no-trust motion will be launched against the speaker,” the sources revealed. Furthermore, it emerged that the party would grant some time to Swati to rectify and reverse his decisions that led to irregularities.
It is noteworthy to mention here that Speaker Swati was facing accusations of irregularities in appointments and promotions.
These developments were witnessed after incarcerated PTI founder Imran Khan said that the KP speaker should submit his resignation if a decision was taken by the party’s committee.
Khan’s statement was quoted by PTI leader Azam Swati, who met him at Rawalpindi’s Adiala jail earlier this week.
He also said that they apprised the PTI founder about corruption in Mansehra, adding that he urged Khan to bring forward the matters related to the party’s committee.
Earlier, the former ruling party had formed a three-member committee to keep an eye on the KP government and ensure that none of the cabinet members could get involved in the misuse of power or corruption in the province.
According to The News, Khan suggested former governor Shah Farman, senior lawyer Anwar and the party member of the National Assembly from the Malakand region, Junaid Akbar Khan to be part of the committee.
However, Akbar was later dropped from the committee and replaced by Brig (retired) Mussadiq Abbasi. Abbasi is presently working as Special Assistant to KP Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur on Anti-Corruption.
Swati, speaking to the media, further said that the PTI founder also ordered the immediate reversal of appointments made by PTI KP President Akbar.
The former minister said that KP CM was not a silent spectator on corruption, and he met Khan after getting permission from Gandapur.