by Shafqat Ali

 

ISLAMABAD, May 18(Gwadar Pro) - A key aide of Prime Minister Imran Khan resigned on Monday afternoon amid allegations of misappropriations in China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC)’s Rawalpindi-Islamabad Ring Road project.

 

Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) on Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development Sayed Zulfikar Abbas Bukhari said he is quitting to face an inquiry into the allegations.

 

“My Prime Minister (Imran Khan) has always said that if a person has been named rightly or wrongly in any inquiry, he should cease to hold any public office till his name has been cleared of charges. Owing to the allegations in the ongoing Ring Road inquiry, I want to set this example by resigning from office until my name is cleared up of any allegations and the media’s obnoxious lies,"he said in a series of tweets.

 

Sayed Zulfikar Abbas Bukhari, aka Zulfi Bukhari, reiterated that he had nothing to do with the Ring Road initiative or any ongoing real estate project in the area. “This time the inquiry should be done by capable personnel,” he stressed while endorsing a judicial inquiry into the matter. I’m here to stay in Pakistan and stand united with the prime minister and his vision. I sacrificed my life overseas to come and serve my country. I am ready to face any inquiry,"he maintained.

 

Last week, the Punjab provincial government removed six officers over their alleged involvement in the Rawalpindi Ring Road scam.

 

An inquiry had been held at the highest level in the provincial government after which it emerged that changes had been made to the actual plan of the Rawalpindi Ring Road to create new road infrastructures.

 

These changes, the inquiry determined, were made to benefit some influential personalities. These changes would have increased the cost of the project by Rs 25 billion.

 

Implementation of the plan was stopped on the orders of Prime Minister Imran Khan once he was surprised by the alleged scam.

 

Punjab Chief Secretary Jawwad Rafique Malik shuffled the officers after the Rawalpindi Ring Road scam inquiry was completed.

 

Deputy Commissioner Rawalpindi Muhammad Anwarul Haq, Deputy Commissioner Attock Ali Anan Qamar and Additional Deputy Commissioner (Revenue) Shoaib Ali were removed from their posts and directed to report to the Services and General Administration Department (S&GAD).

 

Deputy Commissioner Chakwal Bilal Hashim has been given the additional charge of the Rawalpindi District. Additional Deputy Commissioner (Revenue) Attock, Shehryar Arif Khan has been given additional charge of the post of deputy commissioner Attock, while Additional Deputy Commissioner General Qasim Ijaz will also take care of the Revenue Department of the Rawalpindi District.

 

Assistant Commissioner Rawalpindi Saddar Ghulam Abbas and Assistant Commissioner Fateh Jang Muhammad Azeem Shaukat Awan have also been asked to report to the Punjab S&GAD.

 

Prime Minister Imran Khan had earlier directed Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar to launch a probe into the alleged scam.