CM Sindh orders probe into school desks corruption Scandal

Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah took notice of the desk mega corruption scandal and directed the Education Minister to investigate.

According to details, Sindh Chief Minister directed Education Minister Syed Sardar Shah to investigate the desk mega corruption case and submit a report.

Under the direction of the Chief Minister, the Education Minister constituted a committee, which will submit a comprehensive report in three days after looking at the price and quality of the desk, after which it will be decided to issue a tender.

On the other hand, Sindh Opposition Leader and PTI Leader Haleem Adil Sheikh rejected the Chief Minister’s notice and the inquiry committee.

He said in his statement, “We reject the committee. A judicial commission should be constituted to investigate the desk mega corruption scandal. An inquiry committee has been constituted on subordinate officers to cover up their corruption.”

Haleem Adil Sheikh questioned that “this case may be investigated by 18th, 19th and 20th-grade officers against the ministers. Asif Memon, a member of the committee, is a Saeed Ghani’s right hand.”

Note that, The Sindh government was accused of buying a desk of rupees 6,000 for two students for Rs 29,000. Transparency International Pakistan (TIP) contacted Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah and complained to him that the provincial education department was allegedly buying the desk at an additional 320 per cent.

Transparency International Pakistan (TIP)  said in a complaint that the Sindh education department was allegedly purchasing dual desks for public schools at a 320 per cent higher rate, causing a loss of billions to the exchequer.

In a letter, the TIP said the Sindh School Education & Literacy Department (SELD) had granted four contracts on June 10, 2021, for the “supply & delivery of duel [dual] desks in public sector schools of Sindh” worth Rs5 billion at rates that varied between Rs23,985 per desk and Rs29,500 per desk, inclusive of all taxes.

TIP revealed that the earlier, tenders for the same procurement of the dual desk furniture were proposed by the SELD, Government of Sindh, two years ago, precisely on February 17, 2019, for a smaller quantity.

“The lowest evaluated tender prices received from responsive bidders for these tenders varied between Rs5,700 and Rs 6,860 per desk, inclusive of all taxes. However, the School Education & Literacy Department for unknown reasons did not award the contracts.”