Federal Information Minister Attaullah Tarar has accused the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government of widespread corruption and failing to address the needs of the people. During a press conference on Sunday, he presented a ‘White Paper’ highlighting the alleged financial irregularities under the PTI-led government in the province, which has been in power for nearly 11 years.
Tarar claimed that the KP government misused public funds for PTI’s propaganda, with financial irregularities totaling Rs152 billion, including fraudulent payments of Rs130 million, Rs84 billion in misclassified expenditures, and Rs510 million in suspicious disbursements. He also criticized the lack of serious governance, pointing to the province’s Rs725 billion debt, which could escalate to Rs2,555 billion by 2030 if not addressed. Tarar noted that annual debt servicing costs the province Rs355 billion, equivalent to its development budget.
The minister also pointed out the government’s failure to construct dams or generate electricity, and criticized the new KP Universities Amendment Bill, 2024, which he said undermines academic autonomy by giving control of universities to the chief minister. He further highlighted protests by teachers over illegal appointments in Nowshera Medical Complex and accused the government of inflating project costs, such as the DI Khan and Bannu projects, to misappropriate funds.
On police reforms, Tarar questioned the effectiveness of the KP government’s actions, citing the province’s worsening law and order situation. He also alleged that Rescue-1122 resources were diverted for political purposes. Tarar criticized the PTI government for neglecting the security situation in Kurram district and its failure to address issues like the fake driving license scandal, timber mafia, and BRT corruption.
He also emphasized that KP’s Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur and PTI leadership were to blame for the province’s problems. In contrast, Tarar praised the federal government’s efforts to stabilize the country’s economy, noting improvements in key economic indicators and declining prices of essential goods. He mentioned that even PTI’s founder had acknowledged the stabilization of the economy. Additionally, he praised the PPP’s vision for modernizing Sindh and focusing on the country’s overall growth.
