Balochistan Chief Minister Nawab Sanaullah Zehri on Saturday ordered an inquiry into the matter of ghost schools and missing teachers across the province.

The chief minister said that all divisional commissioners should launch inquiries at a district level regarding the matter of missing schools and teachers in Balochistan.

According to a press release, Zehri issued the orders upon taking notice of a news report on missing schools in the province.

The report published earlier this week quoted officials saying that over 1,500 government-run primary, middle and high schools in Balochistan were found, during a verification process, to exist only on paper.

However, Balochistan Education Minister Rahim Ziaratwal put the figure of ghost schools at 1,400. "We could not identify 1,400 schools during the verification process," the minister said.

Chief Minister Zehri ordered commissioners to "bring to book" those involved in the creation of the ghost schools.

He also announced that action against ghost schools and teachers would begin from his hometown of Khuzdar.

"None will be spared and action will be taken against those playing with the future of our children," the chief minister cautioned in a press release.

According to Education Department data, over 5,000 schools in the province are schools with just one room and one teacher. Over 2,000 schools are shelter-less.