PESHAWAR: A staggering Rs 200 billion corruption scandal has been uncovered in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, with significant irregularities spanning multiple districts, including Kohistan, Abbottabad, and Mansehra.
The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly has raised grave concerns over these financial discrepancies, with a directive for an internal inquiry to be completed within three days.
The meeting, chaired by KP Assembly Speaker Babar Saleem Swati, was attended by key officials from the Finance Department, the Communication and Works (C&W) Department, and the Accountant General’s Office. During the session, the scale of the corruption was revealed, with Speaker Swati stating, “This does not look like a Rs 36 billion scandal—it appears to be worth Rs 200 billion. All relevant departments seem equally complicit in this corruption, and each institution appears eager to claim its share.”
The Speaker emphasised the need for swift action, calling for the immediate suspension of all officials implicated in the scandal. He warned that failure to act would tarnish the credibility of the Assembly and its institutions. “The public must be made aware of the extent of corruption within these departments, and this must stop now,” Swati asserted.
Opposition members further exposed how embezzlement in Kohistan was carried out through fake construction companies and fraudulent cheques, despite the absence of a real development budget. They also highlighted the involvement of individuals from outside the region, underscoring the need for a thorough investigation into all financial transactions linked to the scandal.
The PAC has instructed all concerned departments to submit detailed reports in the next session to ensure legal action is taken against those responsible for the massive corruption.
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