PESHAWAR, Aug 5: NWFP National Accountability Bureau has arrested two former education officials and six contractors for the alleged embezzlement of Rs14 million allocated during 1994-95, for the purchase of furniture and other goods for primary schools.

The accused were identified as ex-additional director Sartaj Nazneen, ex-director Shah Jehan Khan (already in judicial custody) and their six alleged partners: Fazal-i-Habib of Northern Sports, Peshawar; Syed Iqbal Younas of Technicon (Pvt) Ltd, Peshawar; Mohammad Saleem of Ravi Traders, Sahiwal; Zahoor of Shahzad Enterprises, Sahiwal; Hidayatullah of Najeeb Impex, Peshawar, and Mohammad Shafiq of Shafiq & Sons, Sahiwal.

The NAB stated the finance department had allocated a lump sum grant of Rs87 million to the education department in 1994-95, for the purchase of jute mates, chalks, charts and models, sports goods and furniture. But the purchase committee had violated all the formalities while awarding tenders to the contractors.

The tenders had been allotted to the six contractors and pacts signed on June 26, 1995, on the closing of the fiscal year 1994-95. The cheques for the advance payments in favour of the contractors were signed on the same date and kept with the director of primary education, Shah Jehan Khan.

The contractors were to supply all items as per specimen by Sept 26, 1995, under the agreement, but they failed to do so.

Sartaj Nazneen, who assumed the office after the retirement of Shah Jehan Khan, deposited already-signed cheques in the current accounts of the contractors in National Bank’s Hayatabad branch.

The contractors in connivance with the education directorate and manager of the bank got transferred the amount from their current accounts into their PLS accounts in the same NBP branch.

They did not supply the items in the stipulated 90-day period and instead used the public money for their own interest. Two of the contractors had delayed the complete supply of the goods for 16 months.

The NAB produced all the accused before an accountability court and obtained their remand. Jamshed Khan, director primary education, remains at large.  

PHONE CONNECTIONS: General Manager NTR-1 Yousaf Afridi has asked the public to register their names for new connections at the earliest so that they could be ensured new connections in the current year.