LAHORE:
The leaders of the Popular Party of Pakistan (PPP) have vehemently rejected the accusations of corruption level against the governor of Punjab, Sardar Salem Haider, and the central general secretary of Punjab of the party, Syed Hassan Murtaza.
The accusations, made by a former media coordinator of the governor’s house in a viral video message, affirm that both leaders accepted an outstanding in exchange for appointing the accuser for an advisory role.
A senior official of the party near the governor, who is familiar with the situation, dismissed the statements as “a history of rooster and bull”, challenging the accuser, Sardar Zulfiqar, to provide any evidence.
The controversy broke out after a video arose that showed a handcuffed man who identified himself as Sardar Zulfiqar Ali, a former media coordinator of the Punjab governor.
In the video, Zulfiqar said he had paid RS70 million to ensure the advisory role, accusing the PPP general, Hasan Murtaza, a man named Ajsam and the Haider governor of participation in the alleged agreement.
However, despite paying the bribe, he claimed that he was later removed from the position. He also said that he faced a politically motivated case and that he was being taken to the Camp jail.
Zulfiqar also said that he had arranged in the NA-263 Quetta elections in a PML-N ticket and appealed to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, President Asif Ali Zardari, Punjab Prime Minister Maryam Nawaz, and Judicial to intervene.
In addition, he claimed that a “Mian Salman”, who, according to him, was acting as a leader for military generals, had used the name of the head of the Army personnel to intimidate him and was the plaintiff in the case against him.
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Although Zulfiqar was appointed media coordinator for the governor of Punjab on December 24, 2024, his claim to dispute the elections in a PML-N ticket was misleading. The records confirm that it was running as an independent candidate of NA-263 Quetta in the 2024 general elections and obtained only 103 votes.
According to a main leader of the PPP, Zulfiqar was presented to the governor’s house through common friends of Hasan Murtaza. He was appointed media coordinator with the hope of establishing better ties with the business community. However, he was later denotified after accusations of financial misconduct against him arose.
“The dispute is between Salman and Zulfiqar: it has nothing to do with Governor Punjab or Hasan Murtaza,” said a party official, accusing Zulfiqar of giving a “political color” to a personal financial dispute e.
Answering the questions about the background of Zulfiqar and why the role was entrusted, admitted the privileged information of the party: “This is where our leadership missed. His background was never properly examined before his appointment.”
After the controversy, the governor has officially announced that his office has no coordinators and assured that no more coordinators will be designated in the future.
Several PPP senior figures have expressed their frustration on the subject, arguing that the governor’s office should not be reduced to a “laughter stock.”
A main party leader said: “It doesn’t matter whether or not a bribe was taken. What matters is the great negligence of nameing a doubtful person.” Another member of the Superior Party said that this was not the first instance of such accusations within the PPP circles, and added that more cases of a similar nature internally were discussed. He defended the governor, calling him an “honorable man,” but threw doubts about some people inside his near circle.
In the midst of rising murmurs within the party, the sources suggest that the problem will probably be discussed during an IFTAR dinner on April 24 that is organized in honor of the president of PPP, Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, in the governor of the house.
The PPP leader Hasan Murtaza, speaking with the Express PAkGazette, frequented the statements of Sardar Zulfiqar stating that how FIRS can lodged against Zulfiqar before he becomes the coordinator who also for a brief period, having something to do with him or the governor. He challenged Zulfiqar to present any crushing of evidence to support his frivolous demand for bribery. He said that his accusations of giving seventy million to him and others were ridiculous. When asked that many in the party attended the integrity and integrity of the governors, there they question the scrutiny process carried out before selecting said individual for this portfolio, he admitted that he had erred by selecting Sardar Zulfiqar. He said he was presented as remarkable from the merchant community for his acquaintance.
