Advisor to the Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) for Tourism and Culture, Zahid Chanzeb, has expressed serious concern over financial irregularities that have emerged during the process of merger of the former Directorate of Tourism Services (DTS) into the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Culture and Tourism Authority (KPCTA).
He emphasised that the protection of public funds remains the government’s top priority and that transparency and accountability will be upheld at all costs.
Zahid Chanzeb further stated that a thorough investigation has already been initiated under the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to ensure all those responsible are held accountable in accordance with the law.
It is worth noting that after the merger of DTS into the KPCTA, along with the transfer of its assets and liabilities, all administrative and financial affairs have been operating under the supervision of the Tourism Services Wing (TSW) in line with the Tourism Regulation 2021. However, serious irregularities have come to light regarding certain bank accounts and associated funds that were active before the merger.
During the final stages of transition, a significant sum was transferred by one financial institution to another, which subsequently processed payments on the basis of signatures from unrelated former staff, completely bypassing the authorised signatories appointed by the new administration. Preliminary findings suggest that this mishandling has caused substantial financial losses to the provincial treasury, possibly as a result of informal collusion between specific individuals and the financial institution involved.
Moreover, despite repeated requests from investigative bodies and forensic audit teams, certain former officials have consistently failed to provide the necessary records, hampering the investigation process. The Advisor for Tourism and Culture has instructed relevant authorities to closely examine all aspects of the case, ensure full transparency, and take legal action where required to safeguard public resources.
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