NOWSHERA: Awami National Party provincial president Ameer Haider Khan Hoti has termed the accountability process through the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Ehtesab Commission (KPEC) as political victimisation of ANP leaders and asl(ed the provincial government to stop the practice of `defaming` opponents.

Talking to media persons after offering Fateha with PPP leader Mian Muzaffar Shah on the death of his brother here on Tuesday, the former chief minister said the PTI was using KPEC as a tool to target political opponents. He said there were some lacunas in the commission which had been chal-lenged in the Peshawar High Court.

The ANP provincial chief was also accompanied by former provincial minister Iqbal Hussain, ANP Nowshera chapter president Malik Juma Khan and others.

Mr Hoti said: `KPEC has been formed in a hurry having several lacunas. Even the provincial government itself had formed a cabinet committee led by a senior minister to review the controversial sections of the commission.

He said that provincial secretary mines and jailed minister ziaulllah Afridi had also identified some corrupt elements involved in illegal mining in different parts of the province but the KP Ehtesab Commission had yet to take action against them.

The ANP leader insisted that the KPEC misused its power of accountability and victimised political rivals of the ruling party. He said there was no need for KPEC in the presence of NAB and other accountability agencies, adding instead, the PTI-led government should build capacity of the anti-corruption staff. Regarding Kalabagh dam issue, he said it was now a dead horse as its construction had been opposed by the three small provinces. He praised Chief Minister Pervez Khattak for retracting his statement on the issue. To a query regarding changes in the China-Palcistan Economic Corridor, Hoti said being a member of the National Assembly`s committee on CPEC, he had asked the concerned authorities to share latest information regarding progress on the project.

He urged Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to fulfill the promises made in the all party conference on the CPEC.

Later, addressing a function at the district bar room, the ANP provincial president said cordial relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan were essential for development and peace. Correspondent