Peshawar | ReNews Pakistan

Transparency International Pakistan (TIP) has called on the World Bank to investigate alleged procurement irregularities involving the electromechanical contract for the 88 megawatt Gabral Kalam Hydropower Project in Swat district, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The complaint raises concerns about the transparency and compliance of the prequalification and contract approval procedures conducted by the Pakhtunkhwa Energy Development Organization (PEDO), the provincial agency responsible for implementing the project.

In a formal letter addressed to World Bank Country Director for Pakistan Bolormaa Amgaabazar, Transparency International Pakistan alleged that the procurement process involved violations of international bidding requirements and that important financial and legal eligibility considerations had not been adequately addressed.

According to the complaint, the evaluation and prequalification procedures raised questions over whether the participating bidders met the applicable procurement standards.

The watchdog specifically questioned the eligibility of an Argentine company because of its state-owned status, arguing that the ownership structure required examination under the World Bank's procurement framework.

PEDO, however, rejected the interpretation underlying the objection, maintaining that the relevant restriction does not apply to foreign government-owned enterprises.

According to the provincial energy organisation's position, foreign state ownership alone should not automatically disqualify a company from participating in the procurement process.

The disagreement centres on the interpretation of procurement eligibility rules, the legal status of the participating company and compliance with the financial and technical requirements established for the contract.

Peshawar | ReNews Pakistan

The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has sought property and financial records in an inquiry involving provincial lawmaker Dr Amjad Ali, who serves as the chief minister’s special assistant on housing. Reports say the inquiry concerns alleged assets disproportionate to declared income and suspected corruption involving housing-related matters.

Dr Amjad Ali, Bacha Syed, Muhammad Arif Shah, Siraj Ahmad and Naveed Ahmad have been summoned to appear before NAB in Peshawar between October 20 and 22, 2026. The bureau has requested allotment, ownership and payment details concerning properties in Islamabad’s Eighteen Housing Society and the Jalozai Housing Scheme. Salary, allowance, benefit and travel records have also been sought from the Accountant General of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The inquiry also covers questions about legal title, land transfer documents and physical possession at Mega City Nowshera. Reports allege possible deficiencies in the Housing Authority’s documentation and possession of the designated land. NAB has requested the project’s complete original record, including site surveys, land acquisition documents, technical and financial files, and correspondence with relevant departments.

The bureau has also sought details of properties held in the names of 31 relatives of Dr Amjad Ali, comprising 20 men and 11 women. It has requested written agreements dated February 15, 16 and 22, 2022, between the chief executive of Lead Private Limited and the provincial housing minister, alongside the names and CNIC numbers of committee members who jointly visited the project site on February 24, 2022.

Former Housing Authority officials, including a former secretary and director general, are reportedly being examined over allegations of acquiring residential properties in Mega City Nowshera contrary to the rules. Other allegations under investigation concern the use of 12 official vehicles, access by relatives to vehicles and official fuel, the reported allotment of flat A04 on the third floor of the Warsak-1 high-rise flats to the provincial minister’s daughter, and alleged unlawful appointments of relatives within the authority.

The procedural background includes a March 2026 direction from the Peshawar High Court instructing NAB not to harass Dr Amjad Ali in connection with an assets case. The supplied report does not include responses from him or the other individuals concerned to the current allegations.

Requests for records and summonses are investigative steps and do not establish wrongdoing. Naming housing schemes in an inquiry also does not establish that entire developments are illegal, buyers have lost possession or particular transfer deeds have been cancelled. Any definitive legal conclusions will depend on the evidence, subsequent proceedings and decisions of the competent forum.

Peshawar | ReNews Pakistan

The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has ordered a province wide survey of school buildings and a review of safety arrangements in educational institutions following a roof collapse that killed children in Peshawar’s Dir Colony.

Dr Syed Aamir Abdullah, an advisory council member for education, directed Elementary and Secondary Education Secretary Inayatullah Waseem on October 16, 2026, to review applicable safety rules and develop a comprehensive mechanism for their effective implementation.

A report assessing the condition of educational buildings, examining safety arrangements and identifying potential hazards has been requested within four days. The exercise is intended to establish the condition of school facilities and provide a basis for measures to protect students.

Inspections will cover the physical condition of school buildings and premises across the province, alongside the safety measures available to pupils.

In a related appeal, Samar Haroon Bilour, an advisory council member for information and public relations, urged the public to help identify dilapidated school buildings requiring inspection.

Expressing deep sorrow over the Dir Colony incident, Abdullah said student safety must be the highest priority in educational institutions. He also attended the collective funeral prayers for the children killed in the collapse and offered condolences to their families.

The directive focuses on assessment and does not include a dedicated repair allocation or a published school by school rehabilitation programme. Completion of the survey and submission of its findings will be the immediate next step.