MULTAN: The Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) has initiated a probe against officers and officials of the Multan Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education (BISE) for causing a loss to the national exchequer in the bulk purchase of laptops under the provincial government’s laptop scheme.

A complaint was received on the Report Corruption mobile app that stated that the Punjab government had introduced the laptop scheme for brilliant students and both the higher education department and BISEs purchased thousands of laptops at a higher rate of Rs60,000 to Rs65,000 per piece.

The procured stock was stored in the BISEs and universities throughout the province. “Neither the eligible students were provided the laptops nor are the same disposed of. Resultantly, the laptop stock has lost warranty and millions of rupees have been lost,” it stated.

The complaint further stated that as per a letter of the Multan BISE chairman addressed to the higher education secretary on Dec 16, 2019 regarding the distribution of leftover laptops from the fourth phase of the scheme, 1,897 units were not delivered to students who were compelled to file writ petitions and complaints on the citizens portal and chief minister’s complaint cell.

“More than Rs100 million have been destroyed in the Multan BISE, what to say about other boards. It is learnt that the director colleges and other officers are appointed as focal persons to monitor the distribution but all the arrangements have gone up in smoke,” it said.

Complaints of the students and other people for the delivery of laptops were filed by the Multan board with the remarks “closed. Partial relief granted”, without providing any relief.

“I myself made contact with the BISE Multan authorities. I was told that they have sent a letter to the HED Punjab but reply is awaited. I repeatedly made requests to forward my complaints to the HED instead of filing the same without redressal, but they have refused. This act speaks volumes of and points accusing finger towards malpractice. It appears that the students are being deprived of their legal right maliciously because the laptops stocked in bulk has lapsed their warranty and admittedly the stock is dumped in BISEs Punjab, including BISE Multan, in bulk causing a loss to the government exchequer in millions of rupees,” the complainant stated.

It further stated that so many students filed petitions with the Lahore High Court Multan bench, but they were not delivered the laptops, hence they had to file contempt petitions, which resulted in delivery of laptops following higher education secretary.

“In other words, the students are compelled to undergo lengthy process of writ petitions and criminal petitions and bear heavy expenses over litigation to obtain laptops. It is requested that the matter may kindly be taken up and necessary legal action taken against the delinquents/wrongdoers and the laptop stock in its good condition may kindly be distributed among the entitled students,” the complaint concluded.

According to an ACE official, the complaint was forwarded to its Multan office by the director general and a probe initiated.

Published in Dawn, January 18th, 2020