Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Sports Directorate Under Scrutiny: An Inquiry That Exposes a System, Not Just Files

 

Musarrat ullah Jan – KikxNow , Digital Creator

What began as a routine enquiry ordered by the Minister for Sports in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is fast turning into an uncomfortable mirror for the entire sports administration. The scope of information demanded from the Sports Directorate is so wide, and so detailed, that it automatically forces a fundamental question: was this merely mismanagement, or a sustained pattern of abuse carried out under the cover of development projects?

The investigation pertains to two different projects: most notably, the much-publicized "One Thousand Sports Facilities" scheme, and development works claimed at the Union Council level. On paper, these programs were undertaken to decentralize sports infrastructure and create opportunities for youth at the grassroots. In actuality, as the question marks of inquiry would suggest, these projects have become convenient conduits for irregular spending, non-transparent decision-making, and favoritism.

This is not an isolated concern. Earlier, we reported on these pages about the recruitment of six individuals in Dera Ismail Khan who were appointed without any advertisement, test or legal process. All six were close relatives of the Drawing and Disbursing Officer. They were paid salaries from the public kitty for six months. When these individuals later sought a clarification about their employment status, they were bluntly told that they were never employees of the department. That single episode captures the audacity of the system: people are paid sans being employees, and when questions arise, the department disowns them. The money, however, quietly disappears.

One of the first big questions to be raised within the inquiry is about the "one thousand positions" associated with the sports facilities. If these positions did exist, then qualified personnel should have been recruited, which was never done. If recruitment was never contemplated, for what reason were the funds allotted and the expenditure shown? This is the gap between sanctioned posts and actual hiring, pointing directly toward manipulation of budgets rather than investment in human resources.

The financial probe thus remains at the core of the investigation. Exhaustive data has been sought on expenditure, utilization of funds, and repair and rehabilitation works. The trend that comes forth is disturbing. Serious shortcoming process of quotation has been alleged. In quite a few cases, works have reportedly been carried out on the basis of single quotation, which is very much against the procurement norms. Even more serious is that civil works were executed without approved estimate and without identification of any qualified civil engineer who supervised the work, and hefty amounts were charged under civil and repair heads.

The same modus operandi seems to have been followed with repair and maintenance works. Costs were artificially jacked up, procedures bypassed, and documents remained incomplete or deliberately vague. Procurement committees presumably cleared purchases, but records do not reveal which firms had been granted contracts. In several instances, even the name under which a quotation was given was not made public. This lack of transparency raises serious doubts over whether these were genuine vendors or paper entities created to legitimize payments.

The inquiry also wants complete record of the issued cheques, an indication that the financial trail might not match the official version. Matters pertaining to the DDO are under examination, including the appointments made therein. One of them is that of Syed Muhammad Zahid Shah, who was appointed as a GIS Specialist. The inquiry wants to know what his educational qualifications were, under what authority he was appointed, what his job description was and even details pertaining to his official outfit. This amount of granularity suggests that the appointment itself may have been suspect.

Another crucial aspect pertains to how the DDO-ship was conferred over two different projects. Normally, such authority is tightly regulated, but here it seems to have been distributed in a manner that defies all logic and procedure. This opens the door to unchecked financial powers concentrated in few hands.

The stock registers also have come into question. Records of items purchased, consumed, and in stock are incomplete or inconsistent. The records on the vehicle, including the consumption of fuel, have also been found to be equally problematic along with maintenance records. Log books do not contain complete entries, making it impossible to verify official travels or usage of fuel.

Perhaps the most astounding revelation of all is that which involves fuel cards. Twenty-eight PSO cards in all were issued. The amount officially allotted for fuel was limited, but payments for the same have been massively in excess of the allocation. Where did the balance money come from and on whose order was the balance money released? This discrepancy alone points toward systematic manipulation rather than clerical error.

The question further demands illegal expenditures that were incurred. As per the available records, book expenses were way higher than what could be accounted for on the ground. Honorariums were given out liberally without any norm either in terms of entitlements, quantum, or deliverables. Such discretionary disbursals often become tools to buy silence, loyalty, or compliance within departments.

Another serious question pertains to funds deposited in the Bank of Khyber in the name of the department. Why were these funds parked there, who authorized the deposits, and how were the funds later withdrawn? These transactions could potentially reveal a parallel system of financial handling beyond standard treasury controls.

It must be reiterated that all these questions relate to two different schemes. That means the problem is not specific to one scheme or one financial year, but rather it is a trend in governance where development projects are used again and again as financial instruments, not as public services.

This is the stage where investigation has given an opening. It can go the way of becoming yet another file which catches dust after a few headlines, or it can be a watershed for accountability in the sports sector of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The real test would come whether names are fixed with responsibility, recoveries made, and the ones who designed and benefited from these arrangements are made answerable.

For years, athletes in this province have spoken about the lack of facilities, delayed support, and empty promises. Ironically, money allocated in their name flowed freely, but not in their direction. This inquiry will be an opportunity for sports, just like many other sectors, to become a sanctuary for unbridled power and quiet corruption.

This province's youth deserves more than ceremonial grounds and paper facilities; they need transparency, equity, and systems that reward merit over connections. Whether this inquiry delivers that justice, only time will tell.

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