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LAHORE: Punjab Minister for Information and Culture Azma Bokhari has said that in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, development projects begin only after the shares of corruption are divided. She remarked that the Rs 40 billion Kohistan corruption scandal stands as a glaring example, exposing the false claims of transparency made by the KP government. Reacting to a statement by Barrister Saif, Azma Bokhari said that Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has launched 80 development projects within just one year, while the Punjab government has already completed more than 50 projects with full transparency. She asserted that no one can raise a finger at any project initiated by Maryam Nawaz, as all development works in Punjab are based on merit, transparency, and public service. Azma revealed that even before the formation of the new cabinet in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, bids are being placed for ministerial positions. According to reports, the price for “good ministries” ranges between Rs 700 million and Rs 1 billion, which, she said, is clear evidence of the prevailing political culture in the province. The minister questioned, “If people buy their ministries with money, how can they possibly avoid corruption later?” Azma further said that those who are now stamping their names on Nawaz Sharif’s vision of the ‘Sehat Card’ are accusing others of copy-paste politics, which she called utterly ridiculous. She concluded that while the Punjab government is advancing on an agenda of public service, the political bidding and commission culture in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have buried all claims of progress. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
