PESHAWAR (Web Desk) – Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Ehtesab Commission has arrested Ziaullah Afridi, the Minister for Mineral Development, on charges of misuse of authority and corruption, Dunya News reported.

According to sources, the PTI lawmaker was arrested two days ago but news regarding his arrest has been made public today (Thursday).

Afridi is accused of posssessing illegal assets and giving contracts to the people of his own choice.

Ehtesab Commission was set up under the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Ehtesab Commission Act (KPECA) 2014 and Lt-Gen (r) Hamid Khan, who had also served as Peshawar corps commander, was appointed its first director general on Oct 20, 2014.

The commission has been established as an independent and autonomous body for the purpose to combat corruption and to restore public trust in the Government.

On the other hand, KP NAB has arrested PPP`s former provincial minister Mehmood Zaib, his secretary Shah Wali, Commissioner Bannu Asmatullah, Geologist Nowrez, former minister`s frontman Ehteshamul Mulk and Director Licenses Shakirullah in connection with the mines and mineral scandal.

According to NAB spokesperon, the officials are accused of leasing out five hundred acres of land belonging to the Ministry for Mines and Mineral for just Rs14,000. The accused also illegally extracted natural resources weighing 50,000 ton, causing millions of rupees loss to the national exchequer.