Published 17 May, 2021 05:22pm

Waqar Zaka is working with the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government as an 'expert' on cryptocurrency

Waqar Zaka, the most relevant irrelevant man in Pakistan, revealed on Twitter that he's working with the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government on its crypto ambitions. Appointed a cryptocurrency expert on an advisory committee on digital assets, the Living on the Edge host will be providing his services for free.

The expert has become synonymous with the word 'crypto' in Pakistan, uploading fiery videos promoting the digital asset as, at times, the solution to all of Pakistan's woes. Somewhere between reacting to ridiculous TikToks and swearing at government officials, Zaka has put together an army of followers, paying to be a part of his private Facebook group, where he allegedly gives away the secrets to crypto success.

The announcement was made on social media, in which Zaka said, "I have decided not to charge a single penny and I will provide all my services for free."

There were indeed a few things in Zaka's statement that raised question. Firstly, he claimed to be working with the Government of Pakistan, when the notification he uploaded clearly says Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Secondly, the date on the document is two months old and was issued in February. People were quick to call out these inconsistencies and some even doubted the authenticity of Zaka's claim.

In an announcement, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Information Technology Board announced that the first KP Crypto Advisory Committee meeting was held, chaired by Ziaullah Bangash and Finance Minister Taimur Jhagra. During the meeting, several sub-committees were set up to begin work on the project. The communique listed Waqar 'Zakya' as part of the committee, in the capacity of a technical expert.

Bangash, who was the KP CM's adviser on science and information technology at the time the notification was issued, has since resigned, citing "personal and unavoidable circumstances".

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