The three-member ministerial committee, constituted by Prime Minister Imran Khan to probe the video of members of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly receiving huge amounts in return for voting for rival parties’ candidates in the 2018 Senate elections, has become controversial on the first day of its functioning as the panel gave clean chit National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser and Defence Minister Pervez Khattak, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

Despite allegations, the committee decided that Asad Qaiser and Pervez Khattak will not be investigated.

The committee in its maiden meeting on Saturday in Islamabad also framed its terms of references (TORs).

Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry, one of the members of the committee, said that the committee was not authorised to summon Speaker National Assembly (NA) Asad Qaiser and Minister for Defence Pervez Khattak so that they could give their versions in the case. 

The other members of the committee are Shirin Mazari and Shahzad Akbar.

The members also agreed on making the office of the Ministry for Human Rights the committee’s secretariat.

The committee will identify the party which benefitted from the sale and purchase of votes.

It will also examine the evidence available in the case in the shape of video and others.

It will also lay down the procedure to quiz the MPAs who were allegedly involved in the sale and purchase of votes.

The committee will find out as to who gave money to the lawmakers, who received it and who became senators as a result.

In short, it will reveal the names of all the characters in the case.

After having done with the investigation, the committee will present its findings to the prime minister within one month. It will also recommend an action to the government in its report.

Members of the KP Assembly will also be summoned by the committee to testify in the case.

PTI lawmakers’ video had gone viral on social media a few days back amid a heated debate between the government and opposition on open balloting for this year's Senate elections.

In the video, stacks of money can be seen atop a table in front of PTI MPAs from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. KP Law Minister Sultan Mohammad Khan and MPA Ubaid Mayar can also be seen in the video.

PPP former MPA Mohammad Ali Bacha can be seen handing over money to PTI parliamentarians. Sultan Khan can be seen receiving money in the video and keeping it in a bag. Some other MPAs of the PTI can also be seen in the video.