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‘Misuse of state helicopters’: NAB says unofficial fliers cost KP govt Rs90m

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  • NAB writes to KP government to recover money.
  • Since 2008, as many as 2,000 people used KP chopper.
  • KP govt legislating to legalise private use of helicopters.

PESHAWAR: Having completed its probe into the illegal use of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government’s helicopters, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has revealed that those, who engaged the chopper for private use, owe Rs90 million to the provincial administration, sources said on Monday.

They added NAB had also written to the KP government to recover the cost of all the illegal helicopter trips taken by “influential politicians, public officeholders” and others.

At least 2,000 people had travelled in state helicopters since 2008.

The helicopters were used by PTI Chairman Imran Khan, former and current provincial/federal ministers including others.

Former and incumbent members of provincial and national assemblies and officials of political parties also travelled in helicopters, the sources said, adding that chief secretaries, secretaries and other government employees were also among the flyers.

Last month, the KP government announced it had prepared a draft to amend laws regarding the use of its helicopters and other matters in the province.

Following the amendment, no one will be able to question the chopper’s use including who uses it and why is it being used.

According to the amendment draft, the use of the government’s helicopter from November 2008 till date will be considered legal and valid.  No question could be raised regarding the use of the chopper, which would be allowed to be rented out. However, permission for personal use would have to be sought from the province’s chief minister.

The draft states that the government’s helicopter, apart from its use by the chief minister, can also be used by ministers, advisers, special assistants or government officials.

Approval of the amendment bill has been included in the agenda of the provincial assembly’s next meeting, according to the sources.

Talking to Geo News, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Labour Minister Shaukat Yousafzai denied that the helicopters were ever used for private purposes.

“Choppers were used for only government work. No minister or officer in the past or now has used them for personal work,” Yousafzai said, adding, “In this case, NAB is hounding KP government for no reason”.

The KP minister questioned why was NAB not doing anything against the corruption of the Sharif and Zardari families. 

“Amendments in the law related to helicopters are being made for the betterment of the people,” Yousafzai added.

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The PPP and PML-N will confer on power-sharing arrangements in Punjab today.

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The coordination committees of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) are scheduled to convene today at the Governor’s House in Lahore to deliberate on power-sharing arrangements in Punjab.

The PPP delegation would comprise Punjab Governor Sardar Saleem Haider, Raja Pervez Ashraf, Makhdoom Syed Ahmed Mahmood, Nadeem Afzal Chan, Hassan Murtaza, and Ali Haider Gilani.

Ishaq Dar, Azam Nazir Tarar, Rana Sanaullah, Malik Muhammad Ahmed Khan, and Maryam Aurangzeb will represent the PML-N.

The conference will discuss local issues in Punjab and offer a forum for the PPP to express its concerns over its collaboration with PML-N in the province.

Both parties seek to fortify their partnership and optimize governance techniques in Punjab.

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Sheikh Rasheed says PTI and government negotiations won’t provide any results.

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Sheikh Rasheed voiced his worries about the nation’s ongoing political dilemma while speaking outside the Anti-Terrorism Court.

According to Sheikh Rasheed, a committee was established to negotiate, but the process has not produced any tangible results. In order to emphasize the seriousness of the situation, he said, “Political conditions are extremely bad.”

He made the joke, “Even after war, if negotiations fail, then it will all come down to judo karate,” in reference to the next steps.

“Everyone there prays for Pakistan’s betterment,” Sheikh Rasheed, who had returned from Saudi Arabia, said. He emphasized the necessity for the nation’s circumstances to improve and stabilize.

Assad Qaiser, a former speaker and PTI leader, had earlier called on Speaker Ayaz Sadiq of the National Assembly to discuss the official start of talks with the government.

The two leaders shared their opinions on bringing parties together on matters of national importance and reducing political tensions and conflict.

“I will persuade my people, you persuade the hardliners in your party,” Ayaz Sadiq said to Assad Qaiser.

The party’s founder is in jail, and the PTI leadership has asked to meet with him. “We will continue to confer with him,” Assad Qaiser declared.

Earlier, PTI leader Shaukat Yousafzai stated that if the discussions don’t begin, a campaign of civil disobedience will begin on December 14.

Speaking to the media Regarding the meetings, Yousafzai claimed that the government ministers were making insincere remarks.

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Bushra Bibi maintains bail as the IHC concludes the FIA’s petition.

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The Islamabad High Court (IHC) conducted a hearing about the Federal Investigation Agency’s (FIA) plea for the revocation of Bushra Bibi’s bail.

The court, led by Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb, rejected the FIA’s petition during the hearing.

Judicial Proceedings

Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb sought information regarding Bushra Bibi’s location, to which her attorney, Barrister Salman Safdar, affirmed her attendance in court.

The judge urged the counsel to regard the matters with gravity, underscoring the necessity of adherence to trial protocols.

The court sought details about instances where Bushra Bibi had been exempted from attending trial hearings and clarified that if the High Court grants bail and the accused fails to appear, the trial court holds the authority to cancel the bail.

Justice Aurangzeb assured that such actions would not amount to contempt of the High Court’s order.

Based on these considerations, the court closed the proceedings and dismissed the FIA’s plea.

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