ISLAMABAD: National Accountability Bureau (NAB) officials have started collecting evidence pertaining to alleged corruption and financial mismanagement of at least Rs 4 billion in the Prime Minister’s Education Reform Programme, according to a report in the local media.
Ousted prime minister Nawaz Sharif had given at least Rs 4 billion to improve the conditions of 423 federal public educational institutions that come under the purview of the Capital Administration and Development Division (CADD) through the Prime Minister’s Education Reform Programme.
Corruption and financial mismanagement has allegedly been done in funds allocated for paint jobs, furniture procurement, and construction and renovation projects.
According to the report, Acacia Arabica wood (Keekar) was allegedly used for furniture instead of the approved Indian Rosewood (Sheesham). Additionally, bills pertaining to expenditure amounting to millions of rupees were allegedly drafted and claimed that the money was spent on schools with two or three classrooms, even though these construction works had not been approved in PC-1.
On the other hand, CADD Minister Tariq Fazal Chaudhry has claimed that the official report is fraudulent and has ordered that the report should be renewed after a fresh survey has been conducted.
The Federal Directorate of Education (FDE) has written to CADD that the fresh survey should be conducted by a team which constitutes representatives from Frontier Works Organisation (FWO), National Engineering Services Pakistan (NESPAK), National Logistics Cell (NLC) and Pakistan Public Works Department (PWD). FDE has also demanded that the fresh survey team should be headed by an area education officer.
Rs 2.7 billion have been issued so far under this project, according to the report.
