Islamabad 13 August: A shocking revelation has emerged from an official audit, which has uncovered that over 13,000 computer tablets valued at more than Rs360 million are missing from the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Elementary and Secondary Education Department.
According to the audit report, a total of 15,000 tablets were originally purchased for teacher training programs. However, only 1,779 devices were recovered, while 13,221 tablets remain unaccounted for. Among the recovered units, 79 were found defective, and in many cases, essential accessories such as hands-free sets, SD cards, and chargers were also missing.
Each device was purchased at a cost of Rs28,314, meaning the total value of the missing equipment exceeds Rs360 million. The report warns that if these tablets are not recovered promptly, the department will be forced to purchase replacements to continue its teacher training initiatives.
The Auditor General of Pakistan has strongly recommended the immediate recovery of the missing tablets and urged disciplinary action against those responsible for the loss.
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Pattern of Irregularities in KP Government Projects
This is not the first time the KP government has faced allegations of financial mismanagement. Past audits have highlighted massive irregularities, including the Kohistan project with an estimated loss of Rs40 billion, the Citizen Improvement Project with Rs32 billion in questionable expenditures, and reported irregularities worth Rs28 billion in the Peshawar Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project.
Concerns Over Resource Oversight
The latest findings have sparked public concern about poor oversight and accountability in the province’s education sector, especially in the distribution and recovery of valuable learning resources.
As of now, KP government officials have not issued any public statement in response to the damning audit report.
