21:44
Unknown
Islamabad
Shocking silence and lack of any punitive action against those responsible for embezzlement of funds of Rs7 billion allocated for Basic Education Community Schools (BECS) indicated apathy of the stakeholders to bring the culprits to justice, sources told ‘The News’ here on Thursday.
A senior official, who requested anonymity, confided to this correspondent that when National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) identified 2,007 ghost schools fraudulently run under the BECS project the Ministry of Education and Trainings asked Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to hold an inquiry against eight BECS officials.
“No one in the ministry is bothered to know whether any action has been taken or progress made in the case. Even the concerned officials never properly approached FIA to know about the status of inquiry against accused BECS officials,” a source claimed.
Federal Minister for Education and Trainings Sheikh Waqas Akram recently told the National Assembly that inquiry was being conducted by FIA against BECS officials who were allegedly involved in embezzlement of funds.
Sources said that provision of funds to ghost schools has been stopped but there is still a big question to be answered by the concerned authorities as to who were the persons who provided and who were the persons who received funds in the name of nearly 2,000 ghost schools.
They further stated that the regional directors of BECS who were served show cause notices and directed to reply within two weeks, never bothered to give reply to these notices.
Another official said funds worth Rs22 million were provided to non-governmental organizations to monitor BECS schools so inquiry should also be launched against their negligence in this respect.
A senior official of FIA, who declined to be named, said whenever any ministry asked them to conduct inquiry in any case they do it in line with set rules and procedures.
“Inquiry against those allegedly responsible for running ghost schools would be completed but I can’t give any time frame in this regard,” he said.
When contacted, Federal Minister for Education and Trainings Sheikh Waqas Akram categorically dismissed the impression that issue of ghost schools is being swept under the carpet.
“It should be clear that we have zero tolerance for corruption and inquiry against those allegedly involved in embezzlement of funds allocated for BECS schools would be taken to its logical end,” he said.
To a question about status of inquiry being conducted by FIA against accused BECS officials, he said: “At the moment I don’t have up-to-date information but I would provide you complete details after consultation with the concerned officials,” he said.
He said they have recently sent reminder to the FIA to speed up inquiry, adding: “We have been seriously and continuously pursuing this case with all our sincerity.”
Shocking silence and lack of any punitive action against those responsible for embezzlement of funds of Rs7 billion allocated for Basic Education Community Schools (BECS) indicated apathy of the stakeholders to bring the culprits to justice, sources told ‘The News’ here on Thursday.
A senior official, who requested anonymity, confided to this correspondent that when National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) identified 2,007 ghost schools fraudulently run under the BECS project the Ministry of Education and Trainings asked Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to hold an inquiry against eight BECS officials.
“No one in the ministry is bothered to know whether any action has been taken or progress made in the case. Even the concerned officials never properly approached FIA to know about the status of inquiry against accused BECS officials,” a source claimed.
Federal Minister for Education and Trainings Sheikh Waqas Akram recently told the National Assembly that inquiry was being conducted by FIA against BECS officials who were allegedly involved in embezzlement of funds.
Sources said that provision of funds to ghost schools has been stopped but there is still a big question to be answered by the concerned authorities as to who were the persons who provided and who were the persons who received funds in the name of nearly 2,000 ghost schools.
They further stated that the regional directors of BECS who were served show cause notices and directed to reply within two weeks, never bothered to give reply to these notices.
Another official said funds worth Rs22 million were provided to non-governmental organizations to monitor BECS schools so inquiry should also be launched against their negligence in this respect.
A senior official of FIA, who declined to be named, said whenever any ministry asked them to conduct inquiry in any case they do it in line with set rules and procedures.
“Inquiry against those allegedly responsible for running ghost schools would be completed but I can’t give any time frame in this regard,” he said.
When contacted, Federal Minister for Education and Trainings Sheikh Waqas Akram categorically dismissed the impression that issue of ghost schools is being swept under the carpet.
“It should be clear that we have zero tolerance for corruption and inquiry against those allegedly involved in embezzlement of funds allocated for BECS schools would be taken to its logical end,” he said.
To a question about status of inquiry being conducted by FIA against accused BECS officials, he said: “At the moment I don’t have up-to-date information but I would provide you complete details after consultation with the concerned officials,” he said.
He said they have recently sent reminder to the FIA to speed up inquiry, adding: “We have been seriously and continuously pursuing this case with all our sincerity.”
Posted in: Islamabad
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