PESHAWAR — A staggering Rs920 million in alleged financial irregularities has been uncovered in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Education Department during the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government, according to an official report released Saturday.
The alleged embezzlement reportedly took place during a one-year period when Shahram Khan Tarakai served as provincial education minister, raising serious questions about procurement, distribution, and accountability mechanisms within the department.
Missing Tablets Raise Alarms
The most glaring irregularities emerged in the provision of tablets to newly recruited teachers through district education officers. According to the report, Rs374.3 million in irregularities were identified in this program alone.
Tablets valued at Rs424.7 million were distributed among 15,000 individuals. A scrutiny committee was subsequently formed to investigate the distribution and return of the devices. However, the committee’s findings revealed a troubling discrepancy:
- Only 1,779 tablets were returned to the Directorate
- The remaining 13,221 tablets were reported missing
The whereabouts of these missing devices remain unknown, and further investigation would be required to establish responsibility for the alleged irregularities.
Mardan Board Contract Violations
During the year 2022-23, additional irregularities worth Rs48.7 million were reported in the Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education Mardan regarding the purchase of paper.
The report further revealed that a contract was awarded to Manzoor Nazar firm in violation of government rules and regulations, causing a loss of Rs192 million to the treasury.
Additionally, the board chairman withdrew Rs71 million in the form of executive allowance—funds he was not authorized to access. According to the audit report, Rs13 million was also allocated for the purchase of smartphones.
Accountability Questions Mount
The reported findings have intensified scrutiny of the provincial education department’s financial management and raised concerns about oversight failures during the PTI government’s tenure.
The public disclosure of these alleged irregularities marks the beginning of efforts to bring what critics describe as “shocking stories of strange corruption” to light, with questions mounting over how such substantial losses to the public treasury were permitted to occur.
