Sohail Afridi Corruption Probe: Evidence Gathered
The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government says evidence is being collected against suspended Chief Minister Sohail Afridi over alleged corruption involving billions of rupees. Adviser on Information and Public Relations Samar Haroon Bilour said Afridi remains in protective custody while the material is gathered, The Express Tribune reported on Friday, October 30.
Bilour spoke at a press conference at the Information Cell in the Civil Secretariat in Peshawar. She said the government was pursuing institutional reforms, transparency and better public service delivery, and she placed the probe within that wider accountability drive.
No charge or case detail was announced at the briefing. The allegation, as stated, is that corruption involving billions of rupees took place. Afridi’s response to the specific claim was not reported in the briefing. Readers should therefore treat the probe as an allegation under examination, not as a finding against him.
Sohail Afridi corruption probe: what else the briefing covered
The press conference ranged well beyond the probe. On the Dir Colony school tragedy in Peshawar, Bilour said investigations had been completed and a detailed report would soon be shared with the media. Inspections of government and private schools and seminaries across the province had identified 4,049 educational institutions needing repairs and rehabilitation.
A comprehensive plan is being prepared to improve those institutions. Students from affected schools will shift to nearby government schools, with class-wise adjustments and second shifts where needed so that teaching continues. A subcommittee is also examining whether departments and tehsil municipal administrations were negligent in building approvals, inspections and supervision.
On law and order, Bilour said eight modern armoured vehicles had been handed over to the provincial police. A full plan to improve police infrastructure and operational capacity will be prepared within five to six weeks.
Sehat Card, colleges and Peshawar services
Bilour also addressed the Sehat Card health programme, saying internal irregularities were being examined but there was no intention to end or abolish it. The performance and administrative affairs of Medical Teaching Institutions, along with the professional competence of their governing boards, will also be reviewed.
On Peshawar’s civic problems, she said the anti-encroachment campaign was continuing without discrimination. Illegal occupation of government land, green belts and drainage channels must end to ease the city’s traffic and sewage problems, she said, and no one is receiving concessions on political or personal recommendations. Cleared areas will later be rehabilitated and beautified.
Sanitation services in Peshawar are improving, she added, with cleaning staff working late into the night to clear accumulated waste. A comprehensive waste collection plan is being developed, alongside steps to deal with shortages of manhole covers and dustbins.
The political backdrop
The briefing comes at a tense moment in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa politics. Afridi’s suspension and custody follow the imposition of governor’s rule in the province, a move the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf has opposed. The party’s provincial parliamentary party recently backed its chairman, Barrister Gohar Ali Khan, and rejected talk of internal splits, as Feature Pakistan reported in the PTI K-P parliamentary party story.
Bilour was also asked about Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman. She called him a senior politician but said his recent statements appeared to reflect frustration at being excluded from decision-making.
What happens next
The key question now is what the evidence-gathering produces. If a formal case follows, it will be tested in the proper forum, where Afridi will have the chance to answer the allegations. If it does not, the claim will remain an allegation made at a press briefing.
Either way, the school-repairs plan and the Sehat Card review are concrete commitments with timelines that can be checked. The report on the Dir Colony tragedy, promised soon, is the first of those to watch.
Frequently asked questions
What has the K-P government said about Sohail Afridi?
Adviser Samar Haroon Bilour said evidence is being gathered over alleged corruption involving billions of rupees, and that Afridi remains in protective custody.
Has Afridi been charged?
No charge or case detail was announced at the briefing. The matter stands as an allegation under examination.
What did the briefing say about schools?
Inspections found 4,049 schools and seminaries needing repairs. Affected students will shift to nearby government schools, with second shifts where needed.
Is the Sehat Card being abolished?
No. Bilour said internal irregularities are being examined, but there is no intention to discontinue the programme.
*Source: The Express Tribune.*
