By: Salman Yousafzai
PESHAWAR: A significant case of embezzlement has been uncovered in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Public Health Engineering Department (PHE), revealing irregularities totalling Rs 451.9 million across various divisions and projects.
According to an audit report, substantial financial irregularities have been identified in the PHE Department. Notably, the PHE Division in Haripur spent Rs 2 million on electricity bills for tubewells in Bara Kahu, Islamabad, during the financial year 2023-24, despite failing to collect water bills amounting to Rs 363.4 million from the same division.
Additionally, the report highlights suspicious payments totalling Rs 23.4 million related to water supply schemes in Khyber district. During the financial year 2022-23, a loss of Rs 18.3 million was recorded due to the failure to impose a seven per cent income tax on five water supply schemes in merged districts.
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Further concerns include advance payments of Rs 4.6 million made before the commencement of development work in Khyber division in 2023-24. The report also identified a payment of Rs 40 million to a consultant for the solarization of tube wells, made in violation of established rules.
