Former Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) lawmaker Ubaid Ullah Mayar has confessed to taking bribe worth Rs 10 million before the Senate elections of 2018.
This comes after a video went viral on social media on Tuesday that showed Imran Khan-led PTI lawmakers receiving bribes ahead of the 2018 senate elections. The video showed a couple of PTI Members of National Assembly (MNAs) taking money from Mohammad Ali Bacha, former MPA of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) before the Senate elections in 2018.
In the video, stacks of currency are seen in the video atop a table in front of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa PTI Members of Provincial Assembly (MPAs).
Speaking to the media, Mayar said that he took the money on the directives of then Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Pervez Khattak, adding that the PTI-led provincial government had paid Rs 10 million to all Members of National Assembly (MPAs).
He further said that the bribery incident took place at the National Assembly speaker’s house and it was the provincial government which paid money to the MPAs and then made a video.
“At that time, Pervez Khattak had formed a committee of 17 MPAs and asked us to vote for them, paid us the money, and promised to give us party’s tickets,” he said.
He also informed that he went to the High Court in relation to the matter, adding that he “stands by [his] statement and is “not afraid of anyone”.
Responding to a question regarding two people from another party who could be seen taking money in the video, Mayar said that “Khattak had promised to make them ministers if they joined the PTI, which was later fulfilled”.
He also said that he was asked to return the money on the suspicion that he did not vote for PTI’s candidate.
Following the release of the video, Imran Khan has ordered the removal of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Law Minister Sultan Mohammad Khan, who had joined the PTI before the 2018 elections.