Free laptops: Petitioner seeks inquiry into 'massive corruption'
Petitioner claims the laptop scheme will cause a loss of Rs1.70 billion to the national exchequer.
LAHORE:
A writ petition has been moved in the Lahore High Court (LHC) seeking a judicial inquiry into the alleged massive corruption in the laptop scheme launched by Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif.
The petitioner, Mian Shahid Abbas, has made Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz (PML) President Nawaz Sharif and Shahbaz Sharif respondents.
Abbas has submitted that as per a report of Transparency International, the laptop scheme will cause a loss of Rs1.70 billion to the national exchequer.
He states that the Punjab government has purchased each laptop for Rs 35,000, but the actual price is Rs25,000.
Abbas states that the scheme is being used as a tool to carry out the political campaign of PML-N, further stating that pictures of Nawaz Sharif were being used in newspaper advertisements of Punjab government and that this was against the law.
The petition prays that the court order a judicial inquiry into the matter and get the embezzled money back.
The government of Punjab has been distributing free laptops to ‘talented’ students under the e-Youth Initiative program. The number of laptops distributed among the students has reached 85,000 out of the 125,000 laptops announced by the provincial government.
The laptops, priced at Rs37,700 each, are distributed among students in elaborate ceremonies under the program.
It has also been alleged that some laptops received by the students are being sold online and at markets in Lahore.
The LHC has also directed the convener of Youth Development Program to investigate whether the laptops being distributed at Government University College (GCU) were on the basis of personal liking.
A writ petition has been moved in the Lahore High Court (LHC) seeking a judicial inquiry into the alleged massive corruption in the laptop scheme launched by Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif.
The petitioner, Mian Shahid Abbas, has made Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz (PML) President Nawaz Sharif and Shahbaz Sharif respondents.
Abbas has submitted that as per a report of Transparency International, the laptop scheme will cause a loss of Rs1.70 billion to the national exchequer.
He states that the Punjab government has purchased each laptop for Rs 35,000, but the actual price is Rs25,000.
Abbas states that the scheme is being used as a tool to carry out the political campaign of PML-N, further stating that pictures of Nawaz Sharif were being used in newspaper advertisements of Punjab government and that this was against the law.
The petition prays that the court order a judicial inquiry into the matter and get the embezzled money back.
The government of Punjab has been distributing free laptops to ‘talented’ students under the e-Youth Initiative program. The number of laptops distributed among the students has reached 85,000 out of the 125,000 laptops announced by the provincial government.
The laptops, priced at Rs37,700 each, are distributed among students in elaborate ceremonies under the program.
It has also been alleged that some laptops received by the students are being sold online and at markets in Lahore.
The LHC has also directed the convener of Youth Development Program to investigate whether the laptops being distributed at Government University College (GCU) were on the basis of personal liking.