Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Sports Offices: RTI Still Pending After a Year, Accountability in Question
Musarrat Ullah Jan, kikxNow , Digital Creator
Peshawar – Nearly a year after an RTI request was filed to
the Directorate General of Sports, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the requested
information remains undelivered. The request, submitted in April 2025, sought
detailed records of fuel consumption, generator usage, monthly fuel
allocations, and maintenance reports for district sports offices in Charsadda,
Peshawar, Nowshera, Bannu, and Swat for the period of July 2024 to March 2025.
The RTI request was prompted by widespread suspicions of
financial irregularities: officials allegedly submitted fraudulent documents to
claim fuel funds, often showing the fuel was used for tournaments that may not
have actually occurred. These accusations suggest deliberate manipulation of
public resources, raising serious questions about governance, oversight, and
accountability in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s sports administration.
Under the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Right to Information Act, 2013,
the Directorate is legally required to respond to such requests within 10
working days. Nearly 12 months later, the office has failed to provide any
substantive response. The delay not only violates legal obligations but also
obstructs public scrutiny of potential misuse of public funds.
The lack of transparency perpetuates a system where
officials can exploit procedural loopholes. Public resources intended for
sports infrastructure, athlete development, and operational expenses risk being
siphoned off without consequence. Without proper documentation, it is
impossible to verify whether fuel allocations were legitimate or fabricated.
This prolonged delay signals systemic weaknesses:
Non-compliance with RTI law – The office ignored legal
timelines without accountability.
Opaque financial management – Fuel distribution and
generator maintenance records remain unverified.
Weak oversight – Internal audits and supervisory mechanisms
appear ineffective or nonexistent.
Potential abuse of authority – Officials may be using formal
records to legitimize personal or departmental benefit.
Transparency is the cornerstone of accountable governance.
When requests for basic operational data are ignored for over a year, public
trust erodes. Citizens cannot monitor how taxpayer money is spent, and
journalists cannot hold institutions accountable.
The case highlights a broader concern: RTI legislation alone
is insufficient without enforcement and institutional discipline. Filing a
request should not be an exercise in futility. The delayed response reflects
not just bureaucratic inefficiency but also a structural tolerance for
misconduct.
Immediate action is needed:
The Directorate must deliver the requested records without
further delay.
Oversight bodies should investigate discrepancies in fuel
use and document authenticity.
Internal controls must be strengthened to prevent repeated
abuse of public funds.
Until such measures are implemented, the cycle of
mismanagement, fake documentation, and delayed accountability will continue
unchecked, undermining both the development of sports and the credibility of
governance in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
#KPTransparency #FuelFraud #RTIPending #PublicAccountability #KPKSports #GovernanceFailure
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