A viral video implicating Punjab’s Minister of Minerals, Sardar Sher Ali Khan Gorchani, in an alleged deal with a contractor prompted immediate action.
The footage captures Minister Gorchani on a call, apparently promising a contractor the allocation of a minerals block through an upcoming auction. “I will be in Lahore on Sunday; we will meet,” Gorchani said in the video.
After the video spread across social media platforms, Minister Gorchani responded by clarifying that someone recorded the video four months ago, and he denied engaging in any corrupt practices. He explained that he intended the conversation to reassure senior politicians who had approached him interested in leasing mining land, usually allocated through a formal tender process. Gorchani emphasized his commitment to transparency, stating, “If Abbas were to receive the lease, it would implicate me, and I do not tolerate corruption of even a single rupee.”
Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz issued a show-cause notice to Gorchani and established a five-member investigative committee in response to the controversy. The committee conducts a thorough investigation and promptly reports its findings to the Chief Minister.
This is not the first time Minister Gorchani has faced scrutiny; during his tenure as Deputy Speaker of the Punjab Assembly, he was accused by opposition members of encroaching on 6,686 acres of land owned by the forest department. The current allegations and subsequent inquiry highlight ongoing concerns regarding governance and transparency within the provincial administration.
