Peshawar: An audit report has identified alleged financial irregularities amounting to approximately Rs 920 million in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's (KP) Education Department over a one year period, raising concerns over procurement practices, distribution of educational equipment and financial oversight.

The reported irregularities relate to the Pakistan Tehreek e Insaf (PTI) government's tenure, when Shahram Khan Tarakai served as the provincial education minister.

According to the report, alleged irregularities worth Rs 374.3 million were identified in the provision of tablets to newly recruited teachers.

Under the initiative, tablets valued at Rs 424.7 million were distributed among 15000 individuals. However, a scrutiny committee found that only 1779 tablets had been returned to the directorate, leaving the records or whereabouts of the remaining 13221 unclear.

The findings do not establish whether the unaccounted for tablets were lost, misappropriated or remained with their original recipients.

The audit also identified alleged irregularities worth Rs 48.7 million in paper procurement at the Mardan Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education during the 2022 to 23 financial year.

Separately, the report cited losses of Rs 192 million to the public exchequer allegedly resulting from the award of a contract in violation of government procurement rules.

It also questioned the receipt of Rs 7.1 million in executive allowance by the chairman of the Mardan education board.

Additional alleged financial irregularities worth Rs 13 million were identified in smartphone procurement.

The findings raise questions about procurement oversight, financial accountability and the management of public resources in the provincial education sector.

However, audit observations do not, on their own, establish corruption or criminal wrongdoing. The findings remain subject to departmental explanations, verification and any subsequent accountability proceedings.