PESHAWAR: Speaker of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly, Babar Saleem Swati, has been cleared of all corruption and misconduct allegations after an internal investigation conducted by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). The probe, led by PTI’s Internal Accountability Committee member Qazi Anwar, found no evidence to support claims made against the speaker.
The findings, compiled in a seven-page report submitted to PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja, stated that accusations made by party leader Azam Swati — including financial mismanagement and irregular appointments — were unsubstantiated.
The inquiry confirmed that Babar Swati had no involvement in the Rs30 million spent on the renovation of the Speaker’s House. His participation in an official conference in Australia was also deemed appropriate and within the scope of his responsibilities.
While some Class IV staff were appointed without public advertisements, the report clarified that the appointments followed proper procedure and were made on recommendations from the Employment Exchange Office. Promotions, including that of the Special Secretary, adhered to Departmental Promotion Committee (DPC) guidelines.
The report also emphasised that Babar, in his role as Speaker, is answerable to the provincial assembly rather than to the internal party committee. Notably, Babar himself had requested the inquiry to clear his name following public accusations.
The committee had asked Azam Swati to provide evidence, but no credible proof was presented. While one member of the committee dismissed the allegations entirely, another felt some concerns warranted further examination. The matter has been referred to a third member for a final assessment.
Qazi Anwar stated that the committee will accept the final decision, which will be forwarded to PTI founder Imran Khan. The development follows recent speculation about a no-confidence motion against Babar, with sources claiming the party considered his removal if wrongdoing had been proven.
Azam Swati had reportedly cited instructions from Imran Khan, conveyed during a meeting at Adiala Jail, suggesting that Babar should resign if found guilty — a scenario now ruled out by the investigation.
