PESHAWAR: Chief Minister Pervez Khattak has turned down the demand of opposition parties to constitute a judicial commission to probe the issue of Bank of Khyber (BOK).

Talking to mediapersons at the Jamaat-i-Islami’s provincial secretariat here on Thursday, he said that there were no allegations of corruption in the advertisement released by the bank management to newspapers and as such the demand of the opposition was unjust.

He said that a five-member committee, headed by senior minister Sikandar Khan Sherpao, had completed inquiry and action would be taken in the light of the report. “There is no need to form a judicial commission to look into the matter,” he said, adding that there were reservations over few appointments in the bank.

The Awami National Party had submitted an adjournment motion to the provincial assembly on Wednesday calling upon the government to conduct a judicial probe of the issue. The motion demanded that chief justice of the Peshawar High Court should head the commission.

The management of the bank had released advertisement to various newspapers and levelled serious allegations of corruption against finance minister Muzaffar Said, who belongs to JI. The minister also released advertisement to newspapers and accused the sitting managing director of the bank of illegal practices that incurred losses to BOK.

The chief minister also appreciated the action of Army Chief Gen Raheel Sharif for removing 11 senior officers from service on the charges of corruption. He said that the decision of Gen Raheel would prove a millstone in the history of the country.

On this occasion, JI withdrew its candidate Fazlullah from by-elections in PK-8, Peshawar, in favour of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf candidate. The seat fell vacant after the death of PML-N MPA Arbab Akbar Hayat. Mr Khattak said that the provincial government would remain neutral in by-elections.

Published in Dawn, April 22nd, 2016