Peshawar (Naimat Ullah) — A staggering corruption scandal involving over Rs. 36 billion has rocked the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government, prompting the Provincial Assembly’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC) to take urgent action. In a special emergency meeting chaired by Speaker Babar Saleem Swati, the committee ordered the immediate suspension of relevant officers from the Finance Department, Communications and Works (C&W) Department, and the Accountant General’s (AG) Office. A detailed report has been demanded within three days.
The PAC warned that the corruption may not be limited to Rs. 36 billion, suggesting that a comprehensive investigation could uncover embezzlement exceeding Rs. 200 billion. Speaker Swati alleged that not only bureaucrats but also political middlemen are involved in the scandal, which spans several years and departments.
The Secretary of the C&W Department admitted during the session that funds were siphoned off through collusion among officials from the Finance Department, AG Office, and the C&W’s own accounts section. “If the signatures on the cheques are verified, the whole story will become clear,” he stated.
Ahmad Kundi, a PAC member, demanded the resignation of Advisor to the Finance Department, Muzzammil Aslam, on moral grounds. However, Speaker Swati stopped Aslam from responding, emphasizing that the committee would question him, not the other way around.
The scandal centers around account number 10113, linked to the C&W Department in Kohistan. According to the AG KP, between 2016 and 2024, Rs. 181.53 billion was deposited in the account, but Rs. 206 billion was withdrawn—leaving a discrepancy of Rs. 24 billion. “How was Rs. 24 billion withdrawn from an account that had no funds?” questioned the Speaker.
Despite the AG’s assertion that district accounts officers are responsible for monitoring local fund disbursement, the committee found this explanation unsatisfactory. “If senior officials are in place, how could such large-scale embezzlement go unnoticed for six years?” Speaker Swati asked pointedly.
Muzzammil Aslam, while presenting development data, stated that from 2019 to 2024, Rs. 4.16 billion was allocated to C&W in Kohistan’s three districts, while a staggering Rs. 594 billion was released for development in settled districts. However, PAC members lambasted his tone and urged his resignation, accusing him of taking the issue lightly.
The Auditor General of Pakistan admitted that Kohistan has never undergone a complete audit and said that, in 2024 alone, Rs. 21 billion in irregularities had been reported province-wide. “Our real role begins only after the damage has been done,” he admitted.
Speaker Swati emphasized that account number 10113 was a joint account used by four departments, which adds another layer of complexity. He dismissed the Finance Department’s claim that it does not maintain the account, declaring that both the Finance Department and AG Office were equally responsible.
The PAC ordered the suspension of all relevant officials from the three implicated departments and directed their internal audit units to complete investigations within three days. “If strict measures are not taken now, the system will never recover from this cesspool of corruption,” the Speaker warned.
He further added that institutions often scapegoat politicians to cover their own misconduct. “This is not just corruption—it is systemic betrayal. Every department seems to be fighting for its share of the loot.”
The scandal has sent shockwaves across the province, with the public demanding transparency and accountability. The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has already initiated its own probe, but the PAC stressed the need for a parallel and thorough inquiry at the provincial level to expose the full extent of institutional failure.
