PESHAWAR:
The Internal Accountability Committee (IAC) of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has launched an investigation into the performance of the party’s previous provincial government in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (K-P).
As part of the inquiry, the committee has sought answers from former provincial minister Taimur Saleem Jhagra regarding 13 charges against him. Among the allegations is that the province defaulted multiple times during his tenure and that Rs36 billion was withdrawn from the pension and gratuity fund account without being returned.
The charge sheet further states that he also served as the health minister and that all summaries sent by the health department were allegedly approved without proper scrutiny because he simultaneously held the portfolio of finance minister, raising concerns about a conflict of interest. In response, Jhagra has submitted a 35-page reply to the accountability committee, rejecting the allegations and asserting that the inquiry is politically motivated. He stated that he does not trust the committee and considers the questionnaire biased.
PTI sources told The Express Tribune that the committee, formed by founding chairman Imran Khan to ensure good governance in K-P, had sent a two-page questionnaire to Jhagra. The document questions why the province defaulted multiple times during his tenure, why Rs36 billion from the pension and gratuity fund was not returned, and what steps, if any, were taken to address the province’s financial crisis.
The questionnaire also raises concerns regarding alleged fraudulent loans issued by the Bank of Khyber and whether any action was taken, flaws in the Sehat Insaf Card program and the lack of efforts to rectify them, the failure to control the spread of polio with 20 cases reported in 2020 and 22 in 2022, and allegations of establishing regional health directorates to benefit a particular group of doctors, which were never properly activated.
Sources confirmed that Jhagra responded in detail to every question posed by the committee. In his written reply, he stated that when rumors surfaced about Imran Khan’s intention to include him in the K-P cabinet, he was immediately informed that he would be investigated for corruption. He further criticized the committee’s approach, claiming that instead of recognizing his efforts in pension reforms, he was questioned about the use of funds for pension payments. He described the inquiry as an attempt to portray his efforts to mitigate the financial crisis as a crime.
Jhagra also dismissed allegations related to the selection of hospitals for the health card, asserting that he had no role in the process. He revealed that when Imran Khan directed the Chief Minister to include him in the K-P cabinet, the Chief Minister suggested that he first clear the accountability committee’s inquiry.
