QUETTA: The Pashtunkhwa National Awami Party (PkNAP) has launched a scathing attack on the Balochistan government, accusing it of unprecedented corruption and the systematic embezzlement of public funds through “ghost schemes,” leading to a severe lack of development on the ground.
In a strongly-worded press release issued from its provincial secretariat, the party expressed profound grief over the alleged misdeeds of what it termed the “Form 47 government.” The statement claimed the incumbent administration has made the province number one in “corruption, commission, and percentage,” while it has hit rock bottom in development and public welfare.
The PkNAP alleged a well-organized system of graft, stating that a staggering 77% of project funds are siphoned off in the name of corruption and various taxes, leaving a meager 23% for the actual work. “The public can clearly see the quality and completion style of this project,” the statement read, highlighting the visible consequences of this alleged corruption.
It further accused the government of releasing funds for projects that only exist on paper, with money being spent on “pocket money, bank balances, and properties” instead of concrete public benefits. The party also pointed to the repeated allocation of funds for the “repair” of unfinished roads as a key method for embezzlement.
The statement questioned the “criminal silence” of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) and the Provincial Anti-Corruption Establishment, demanding they immediately take notice of the massive corruption detailed in recent government audit reports. The PkNAP warned that if this “looting” continues at its current rapid pace, it will spread like termites, exacerbating public suffering, inflation, and unemployment in the province.
Meanwhile in a proud moment for Balochiostan, olive oil produced by a farmer from Loralai district of Balochistan has been declared as the best olive oil at the world’s largest olive oil competition held in New York.
According to reports, more than 1,200 brands from across the world has participated in the competition. The recent competition and Loralai farmer’s recognition puts Balochistan’s agricultural potential in the global spotlight and marks a significant achievement for the province’s growing olive sector.
