Latest news with #KhurramKarimSoomro
Express Tribune
6 days ago
- Politics
- Express Tribune
PAC orders blacklisting of eight NGOs
The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of the Sindh Assembly has ordered the blacklisting of eight non-governmental organisations (NGOs) for failing to provide audit records, invoices, and expenditure details related to over Rs800 million in funding under the Community Development Programme. The decision came during a PAC meeting on Tuesday, chaired by Nisar Khuhro, with committee members Khurram Karim Soomro, Makhdoom Fakhar-uz-Zaman, and Taha Ahmed in attendance, alongside Planning and Development Secretary Sajjad Abbasi and other officials. The meeting reviewed audit paras from 2019 and 2020 related to the Planning and Development Department. Officials disclosed that 16 NGOs received funding in 2018 for health, skills development, and education projects. However, eight of them have not submitted any audit documentation. PAC Chairman Nisar Khuhro directed the Social Welfare Department to cancel the registration and licenses of these NGOs. During the session, another issue surfaced involving SRSO, which reportedly charged 8-10% interest on Rs10,000 micro-loans given to widowed and impoverished women in 100 union councils across Kashmore, Jacobabad, and Shikarpur - despite funds being allocated as interest-free under the UC-Based Poverty Reduction Programme. A letter submitted by SRSO's CEO acknowledged the interest but claimed it was mistakenly documented in the minutes, clarifying that loans were issued through village organisations. The PAC ordered a fact-finding probe into this alleged malpractice. Separately, the PAC was informed that SRSO had not yet returned Rs380 million in interest earnings to the government from the Rs9.67 billion it received for projects in six Sindh districts between 2018 and 2024. SRSO's CEO stated the funds were intact and would be returned once a formal request is made by the Planning Department. PAC directed a fact-finding investigation into SRSO's spending and retention of the interest amount. The committee also reinstated Pervez Ahmed, the suspended Project Director of the People's Poverty Reduction Programme, after he apologised for the delayed audit submission.
Express Tribune
19-02-2025
- Politics
- Express Tribune
PAC orders special audit of education boards
The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of the Sindh Assembly has ordered a special audit of all seven education boards in the province while expressing deep concern over their alleged financial irregularities and questionable performance. The audit, which has to be completed within four months, will focus on financial expenditures, irregularities, and the procedures for awarding marks from 2022 to 2024. The decision was taken in a meeting of the PAC which took place in the Sindh Assembly's committee room on Tuesday. PAC Chairman Nisar Khuhro presided over the meeting which was attended by committee members Sadia Javed, Khurram Karim Soomro, and Javed, along with senior officials, including Universities and Boards Secretary Abbas Baloch, and the chairmen of education boards. The committee expressed dissatisfaction with the management of education boards, citing repeated instances of financial mismanagement. Chairman Khuhro expressed a lack of confidence in the boards' operations while highlighting growing concerns over the alleged manipulation of exam results. He added that allegations of "paying for marks" have tarnished the reputation of the boards. "The boards are accused of awarding A+ marks for money, but this practice will only lead to failure when students sit for entry tests," Khuhro warned. He stressed that despite the Sindh government's initiative to provide free education up to the intermediate level, the quality of education and transparency in results had been compromised due to the boards' alleged malpractices. The government allocates Rs2 billion annually for exam fees, yet the credibility of the boards continues to be questioned. Khuhro stressed that the future of the youth is at stake, and the committee would not tolerate any compromise on education standards. "Just as Gorakh Hill underwent a special audit, we will ensure the same transparency for education boards," he added. The issue of result manipulation came to the forefront when PAC member Khurram Karim Soomro raised concerns regarding Amir Qadri, the former chairman of the Board of Intermediate Education Karachi (BIEK), who had been removed due to allegations of manipulating first-year results. Soomro asked for an update on the progress of the investigation and sought clarification on the system for awarding marks in the boards.
Express Tribune
18-02-2025
- Politics
- Express Tribune
Sindh orders special audit of educational boards amid corruption allegations
Listen to article The Sindh Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has ordered a special audit of all educational boards across the province following concerns over financial irregularities and allegations of corruption in the marking system, Express News reported. The audit, covering the years 2022 to 2024, aims to ensure transparency in financial expenditures and grading mechanisms. PAC Chairman Nisar Khuhro, while chairing the committee meeting at the Sindh Assembly on Tuesday, expressed strong reservations over the performance of the province's educational boards, stating that complaints of students being awarded high marks in exchange for money had raised serious concerns about the credibility of the system. The PAC has directed the Director General (DG) Audit to conduct a three-year special audit of Sindh's seven educational boards and submit a report within four months. Additionally, the Universities and Boards Department has been tasked with formulating Terms of Reference (ToRs) for the audit within one week. The meeting was attended by PAC members Saadia Javed and Khurram Karim Soomro, along with Universities and Boards Secretary Abbas Baloch, Chairman of the Karachi Inter and Matric Board Sharaf Ali Shah, and other board representatives. Manipulation in exam results During the meeting, the PAC chairman voiced frustration over widespread allegations that students could obtain top grades by paying bribes, leading to a decline in the quality of education. 'If students are being awarded A+ grades by paying money, how will they ever pass entry tests for professional institutions?' he questioned. Khuhro highlighted that the Sindh government had made intermediate education free and was allocating Rs2 billion annually to cover examination fees. However, he lamented that the manipulation of results had put the education system's integrity in question. 'This is about the future of our younger generation. We will not compromise on education under any circumstances,' he asserted. Karachi inter board controversy PAC member Khurram Karim Soomro inquired about the status of an ongoing inquiry into the manipulation of first-year examination results in Karachi. He asked why Karachi Inter Board Chairman Amir Qadri was removed from his position and demanded an update on the investigation. In response, Karachi Inter and Matric Board Chairman Sharaf Ali Shah provided an unexpected reply, stating that the board was criticized regardless of the results. 'If we award lower marks, people complain. If we give higher marks, we face allegations. We are now revising our strategy to ensure greater transparency,' he said, adding that a report on result manipulation would be released soon. Need for educational reform PAC member Saadia Javed strongly supported the special audit, emphasizing that ensuring transparency in examination results was crucial for maintaining academic standards. Chairman Khuhro reinforced this stance, declaring: 'Educational boards are supposed to be the foundation of nation-building. If we fail to uphold transparency in their operations, we fail the future generations. Only a fair and credible system can help our students compete globally.'
