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Khattak threatens to expose opposition MPAs` `grim` past

By Zulfiqar Ali 2013-10-29
PESHAWAR, Oct 28: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Pervez Khattak on Monday warned opposition members of the provincial assembly that he would expose their all wrongdoings during respective stints in government.

`Don`t force me into opening my mouth otherwise I will expose you people. Don`t compel me to reveal your past,` he said while replying to the `taunts` of the opposition in the house.

Mr Khattak gave himself a clean chit and claimed that he had never been involved in corruption during his three decades long political career, but he knew about the past of other politicians very well.

Amid commotion and hooting in the House, the chief minister`s threatening remarks stunned members of the joint opposition comprising Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl, Awami National Party, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz and Pakistan People`s Party, who had earlier complained of discrimination in the allocation of funds for development schemes.

`What is your status in the province? You have been thrown out in the general elections,` he said, adding previous governments had turned the Chief Minister`s House into Meena Bazaar, where contracts, postings and transfers were on sale.Referring to the allegations of former federal minister from ANP Azam Khan Hoti against the party`s leadership, Mr Khattak said ANP had sold the province and the Supreme Court should take notice of corruption charges.

`Your own family member has disclosed that ANP leader had received $30 million from a foreign country,` he said and alleged that there was massive corruption when there was coalition government of ANP and PPP in the province.

The chief minister said opposition members had received only Rs10 million when Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal was in power in the province.

Similarly, he said, the previous govern-ment had diverted major chunk of the annual development programmes to Mardan, home district of the then chief minister.

Mr Khattak alleged that the previous government was known for making deal through SMS (short message service).

He complained that when he quit the government as minister for irrigation and joined Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf all funds for development schemes were stopped. The chief minister said the government would give the maximum funds to the opposition members for development schemes in their respective constituencies, but this was not possible to ignore treasury members and give `everything to opposition.

As the opposition members were planning to retaliate, Speaker Asad Qaisar adjourned the proceedings until today (Tuesday).

Earlier, the opposition members complained that on the directives of the chief minister, Rs20 million had been released to every MPA of the ruling parties for development schemes, while lawmakers of the opposition had been ignored.

They said the chief minister had made commitment of releasing Rs40 million to treasury and opposition members for development schemes.

Opposition MPAs Sardar Hussain Babak, Maulana Lutfur Rehman, Mufti Syed Janan, Sardar Aurangzeb Nalotha, Nighat Orakzai and Munawar Khan Advocate spoke on the matter.

Sardar Babak said the government had allotted funds to all 67 members of the treasury benches but ignored opposition.

He said the government had adopted undemocratic attitude and began victimising opposition members.

He said the opposition members had no lust for funds and would play their due role in the house and outside.

Mufti Syed Janan of JUI-F said the assembly came into existence five months ago but the speaker had yet to form the standing committees as the house was still incomplete.

He said the government should explain its position whether it would release funds to the opposition.