Pakistan: Govt officials use PKR 25 mn funds, meant for needy students, for membership in Islamabad’s elite club

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Islamabad: An inquiry has been ordered against two senior bureaucrats in Pakistan and four officials of the National Endowment Scholarships for Talent (NEST) — a programme for eligible and deserving students — have been dismissed from service for spending at least PKR 25 million to acquire membership at an elite club in Islamabad.

NEST is an “autonomous body and an additional secretary of the Ministry of Education and Professional Training heads this entity by virtue of designation,” Dawn reported.

As per the report, back in November 2021, NEST board of directors in a meeting approved corporate membership for NEST and initially nominated four executive officers for issuance of complimentary cards for the club membership. Further, it was approved that the “monthly subscription charges (of the executives) shall be paid by the company (NEST)”.

In March 2022, they had sought complimentary cards for four senior officials initially, while funds were allocated in June. Later on in September, NEST transferred PKR 25 million to the management of the Islamabad Club, Dawn reported.

The incumbent CEO of NEST and Additional Secretary, education ministry, Waseem Ajmal Chaudhry said the ministry took action against the four employees and imposed major penalties on them. He added that the competent authority also ordered an inquiry against senior bureaucrats which would be concluded soon.

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