Audit flags Rs920 million in alleged irregularities during PTI rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

PESHAWAR – An audit of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Education Department has uncovered alleged financial irregularities totalling Rs920 million for a single year under the Pakistan Tehreek‑e‑Insaf administration. The irregularities were traced to the period when Shahram Khan Tarakai served as provincial minister for elementary and secondary education.

The audit report says that Rs374.3 million was linked to the provision of tablets to newly hired teachers recruited through district education officers. A total of Rs424.7 million was spent on distributing tablets to about 15,000 recipients. A committee set up to investigate found that only 1,779 tablets were returned to the directorate, while the remaining 13,221 could not be accounted for.

In a separate finding, the Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education (BISE) in Mardan was said to have irregularities worth Rs48.7 million in paper procurement for the 2022‑23 fiscal year. The report also alleges that awarding a contract to a favoured firm in breach of government rules caused a loss of Rs192 million to the public treasury.

The audit further notes that the board chairman withdrew Rs7.1 million under the heading of executive allowance despite not being entitled to it. Additionally, the purchase of smartphones is reported to have resulted in an alleged loss of Rs13 million to the exchequer.

These findings raise questions about procurement practices, the handling of public assets and adherence to financial regulations within the provincial education sector during the PTI government. Mahmood Achakzai has also questioned the whereabouts of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister and eight members of the national assembly in relation to these issues.