No Result
View All Result
Monday, June 9, 2025
MM News
اردو
  • Home
  • Latest News
  • Showbiz
    Ana de Armas in a scene from "Ballerina." (Lionsgate via AP)

    How to watch Ana de Armas’ ‘Ballerina’ online

    SI Film

    Love Guru Review: Hit or flop?

    (Credit: Europa Press)

    ‘I Am Georgina’ won’t return as Netflix ends show about Ronaldo’s girlfriend

    Ali Zafar drops first Shina song ‘Karay Karay’ on Eidul Adha

    Ali Zafar releases first Shina language song ‘Kare Kare’

    Hania Aamir, known for her lively spirit, surprised fans with a photo carousel from Makkah, Saudi Arabia while Sana Javed, dressed in a peach ensemble, celebrated Eid with her cricketer husband Shoaib Malik

    Pakistani celebs celebrate Eidul Adha 2025 in style

    Directed by Tarun Mansukhani and produced by Sajid Nadiadwala, Housefull 5 features a power-packed lineup including Akshay Kumar and Abhishek Bachchan

    When will Akshay Kumar’s ‘Housefull 5’ get OTT release?

  • Thought Box
  • Business
  • Opinions
  • Technology
  • The Other Side
MM News
  • Home
  • Latest News
  • Showbiz
    Ana de Armas in a scene from "Ballerina." (Lionsgate via AP)

    How to watch Ana de Armas’ ‘Ballerina’ online

    SI Film

    Love Guru Review: Hit or flop?

    (Credit: Europa Press)

    ‘I Am Georgina’ won’t return as Netflix ends show about Ronaldo’s girlfriend

    Ali Zafar drops first Shina song ‘Karay Karay’ on Eidul Adha

    Ali Zafar releases first Shina language song ‘Kare Kare’

    Hania Aamir, known for her lively spirit, surprised fans with a photo carousel from Makkah, Saudi Arabia while Sana Javed, dressed in a peach ensemble, celebrated Eid with her cricketer husband Shoaib Malik

    Pakistani celebs celebrate Eidul Adha 2025 in style

    Directed by Tarun Mansukhani and produced by Sajid Nadiadwala, Housefull 5 features a power-packed lineup including Akshay Kumar and Abhishek Bachchan

    When will Akshay Kumar’s ‘Housefull 5’ get OTT release?

  • Thought Box
  • Business
  • Opinions
  • Technology
  • The Other Side
No Result
View All Result
No Result
View All Result
MM News
اردو
  • Latest
  • Thought Box
  • Showbiz
  • Business & Stock
  • Opinions
  • Technology
  • The Other Side-Pakistan
Home Uncategorized

CM Sindh or Education Minister: Who is responsible for school desks scandal?

Arooj Bhatti by Arooj Bhatti
March 24, 2022
The  Sindh government is now embroiled in a scandal regarding the procurement of desks in public schools. Source: FILE. 

The  Sindh government is now embroiled in a scandal regarding the procurement of desks in public schools. Source: FILE. 

The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) is infamous for corruption scandals during its tenure. When in power, the PPP government faced several allegations of corruption, embezzlement, misuse of power and authority.

The PPP-led Sindh government is now embroiled in another scandal regarding the procurement of desks in public schools. A massive scandal of Rs3 billion has surfaced causing huge losses to the exchequer. Who is responsible for the scandal? It is unfortunate that ministers are defending the scam rather than taking responsibility or any corrective action.

The scandal

A report by Transparency International Pakistan said the Sindh Education and Literacy Department purchased dual desks for public schools at a 320% higher rate. 

In a letter addressed to Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah, it said the education had awarded four contracrs for the supply of dual desks in public sector schools of Sindh worth Rs3 billion at rates varying between Rs23,985 per desk and Rs29,500 per desk inclusive of taxes.

It disclosed that the previous tenders for the same procurement of the dual desk furniture were invited in 2019 for a lesser quantity. The lowest evaluated tender prices received from responsive bidders for these tenders varied between Rs5,700 and Rs 6,860 per desk. However, the education department for unknown reasons did not award the contracts.

PTI demands probe

The PTI demanded a probe into the complaint on buying dual desks at exorbitant rates. Sindh Assembly Opposition leader Haleem Haleem Adil Sheikh infact visited a furniture market in Liaquatabad to find out the rates of different desks.

He bought one desk and took it to the Sindh Assembly building. He claimed buying the same desk bought by the provincial authorities for Rs29,500 for Rs5,000. He alleged the Sindh government has purchased 160,000 desks for public schools at a much higher price than the market rate.

Sheikh lashed out at former Sindh Education Minister Saeed Ghani, saying that he was responsible for buying the desks at the high rates. The PTI leader also said that people who are in the Sindh government are living lavish lives at the expense of the poor.

The PTI had written a letter to the chief minister, highlighting that the provincial education department was allegedly purchasing dual desks for public schools at a 320% higher rate.

He urged the Supreme Court and the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to conduct a large-scale investigation into the alleged corruption in the purchase of the school desks.

Sindh minister’s defence

Former Sindh education minister Saeed Ghani defended the decision, saying the desks were purchased when Chief Minister Sindh Murad Alif Shah held the education portfolio.

He said a central procurement committee undertook the process to buy public schools’ furniture in Sindh in an independent and autonomous manner without any interference.

He said the committee formed for the purpose had taken into confidence the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), TIP, Sindh High Court (SHC) and the Anti-Corruption Establishment at every stage of the purchasing procedure.

The minister said that a sum of Rs3.6 billion was spent to purchase furniture for the government-run schools in Sindh. He said that it was completely unjust by some news channels to assume that the latest procurement deal was meant to embezzle Rs3bn.

Tenders floated

Ghani said that the committee’s head was eminent educationist Nisar Siddiqui, with members including former Sindh governor Moinuddin Haider, Transparency International Executive Director Saad Rashid and other officials.

The procurement committee rescinded the first tender of the procurement deal due to a lower bid than the cost of the consignment and furniture of a lesser quality to be supplied to fulfil the deal.

The tenders had been floated once again in 2019, with the bids at that time ranging between Rs21,000 and Rs29,000, but a stay order was obtained by the SHC against the prospective procurement deal. The stay order was vacated by the court in 2020, but that tender was again cancelled due to less time available to complete the contract.

Saeed Ghani added that the committee once again floated the tender for the deal in January 2021, while all the details of the deal were sent to NAB Sindh director-general before the finalisation of the contract.

The minister said that NAB Sindh replied to the request on July 7, 2021, that it could not become part of the procurement deal, so that it could take action if it received any complaint regarding the deal.

Ghani said that they had done their best to make sure that the entire procurement deal remained fully transparent and corruption-free before starting the process to purchase the school furniture.

Now it remains to be seen whether CM Sindh Murad Ali Shah will take action against those responsible and bring back the nation’s money on buying expensive furniture, or will he remains indifferent and hide the corruption under his own administration.

ShareTweetSendShare
Previous Post

Jennifer Aniston to skip Emmys award for safety reasons

Next Post

Boy accidentally shoots, kills 14-year-old in Lahore

Related Stories

File Photo
Uncategorized

Power Division refutes reports of ban on installing two electricity meters

June 8, 2025
(File Photo)
Uncategorized

Six of a family killed in Mardan’s gas explosion

June 7, 2025
File photo
Uncategorized

Karachi hit by two earthquakes once again

June 5, 2025
File photo
Uncategorized

Malir jail: 126 escaped prisoners re-arrested

June 5, 2025
Uncategorized

Mild earthquake hits Karachi’s Malir district

June 5, 2025
Uncategorized

CM Ali Amin Gandapur announces eid financial aid for jailed PTI workers

June 4, 2025
File photo
Uncategorized

Lahore launches body cameras for traffic wardens

June 4, 2025
Screen grab
Uncategorized

VIDEO: Bilawal Bhutto Zardari shares his weight loss journey

June 4, 2025
File photo
Uncategorized

Shehbaz govt to continue PTI-era Green Pakistan Project in Budget 2025-26

June 4, 2025
File photo
Uncategorized

Imran Khan says will lead protest movement from jail

June 4, 2025
Next Post
Training now mandatory to obtain arms license in Pakistan

Boy accidentally shoots, kills 14-year-old in Lahore

Trending Stories

Ana de Armas in a scene from "Ballerina." (Lionsgate via AP)
Film & TV

How to watch Ana de Armas’ ‘Ballerina’ online

by MM News Staff
June 8, 2025
SI Film
Film & TV

Love Guru Review: Hit or flop?

by MM News Staff
June 8, 2025
File Photo
Uncategorized

Power Division refutes reports of ban on installing two electricity meters

by MM News Staff
June 8, 2025
World

Iran claims it obtained secret Israeli military and nuclear documents

by MM News Staff
June 8, 2025
Khaby Lame, the 'king' of TikTok (Photo: TikTok)
Thought Box

Why was famous TikToker Khaby Lame arrested in the US?

by MM News Staff
June 8, 2025

Opinion

munir ahmed oped
The Betrayals Within: From Homes to Halls of Power
June 5, 2025
- Munir Ahmed
munir ahmed oped
AIF 2025 – A Rallying Cry for Unity in a Fractured World
May 31, 2025
- Munir Ahmed
munir-ahmed-oped-2-1140x1140
Eurasian Economic Union at 10: Looking Beyond the Decade
May 29, 2025
- Munir Ahmed
No posts found
See all

Weather Updates

File photo
Bakra Eid 2025

Eidul Adha holidays: PDMA issues heatwave alert

by MM News Staff
June 5, 2025

Punjab Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) has issued an alert regarding temperature rise and...

representative image

Severe heatwave warning issued nationwide for Eid holidays

June 5, 2025
President Asif Ali Zardari

World Environment Day: Climate disasters displace millions in Pakistan: President

June 5, 2025
Image: ET

Weather updates for Karachi and other parts of country

June 5, 2025
See all

Prices

Solar panels installed at a Peshawar park to meet lighting needs. (Image: Dawn.com)
Business & Stock

Govt likely to impose 18% sales tax on solar panels in budget 2025-26

by MM News Staff
June 6, 2025

Pakistan is poised to introduce major changes to its taxation framework in the upcoming...

Karachi consumers get Rs2.99/unit relief, power rates hiked elsewhere

June 5, 2025
(File)

Gold price increases Rs4,300 per tola

June 5, 2025
(Representational Image)

Will govt scrap solar net metering in budget 2025-26?

June 5, 2025
See all

Transport News

Lack of adequate public transportation facilities in Karachi has made rickshaws a popular transport.
Top News

Sindh govt bans four-seat rickshaws in Karachi

by MM News Staff
June 6, 2025

The Sindh government on Friday banned four-seater rickshaws in Karachi, while a decision has...

Air Karachi granted regular public transport license

June 5, 2025
(Representational Image, Credit: ProPakistani)

How to apply for Punjab electric taxi scheme

June 4, 2025
file photo

Govt rolls back fare hike for Islamabad bus services

June 4, 2025
See all

MM Digital (Pvt.) Ltd.

MM News is a subsidiary of the MM Group of Companies. It was established in 2019 with the aim of providing people of Pakistan access to unbiased information. Contact Details: 03200201537

Quick Links

  • Home
  • Advertise
  • MM News Urdu
  • The Other Side-Pakistan
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy

Top Pages

  • Latest News
  • Showbiz
  • OP-ED
  • Technology
No Result
View All Result
  • Latest News
  • Thought Box
  • Showbiz
  • Business
  • Opinions
  • Technology

© Copyright 2024 MMNews - All Rights Reserved.