Massive Rs 5.28 billion embezzlement in Punjab Education Department

The auditor general has detected Rs 5.28 billion corruption in the Punjab Education Ministry and directed the authorities concerned to take punitive action against corrupt officers.

According to the report, the record pertaining to purchase of items worth Rs 363 million has been wasted in the Lahore Engineering University, while nine educational institutions have made investments worth Rs 3.78 billion at different level. Also nine government colleges have wasted Rs 269 billion in the name of building maintenance and repairs.

The report further says that various colleges have made transactions of Rs 212 million in bank accounts of their own choice while different colleges have spent a sum of Rs 117 million on purchase of unnecessary items.

The report further says that about five colleges have recruited blue-eyed persons without the permission of authorities concerned, causing a loss of Rs 36 million to the national exchequer.

“Purchase of Rs 27 million was made without the permission of purchasing committee while Rs 20 million were distributed among undeserving people under the head of cash award,” the document adds and maintains that a retired professor of the Fatima Jinnah Women University was re-appointed and a sum of Rs 16 million was wasted.

The report reveals that Rs 7 million have been wasted on the name of scholarship and various colleges have given Rs 100 million among employees in advance, while students have not been given Rs 20 million in scholarships.

“Nine universities have received the allowances of Rs 202 million without the approval of chancellor while amount of Rs 36 million received from students in the form of fees have not been submitted with the bank branch concerned.”

The report discloses that the Punjab Education Ministry has borne a loss of Rs 20 million under liquid loss. Tuition fee to the tune of Rs 11 million has not been received from students of two universities.

This corruption was done in Punjab Higher Education Commission (HEC), a sub-department of the Punjab Education Ministry. The HEC secretary expressed complete ignorance about this scam.