ACE summons Buzdar, relatives after 16 ghost schools found in his area

LAHORE: At least sixteen ghost schools have been detected in Khurar Buzdar, the area of former Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar, and his family is illegally occupying them.

According to sources, there are 14 ghost primary schools in Usman Buzdar's Khurar Buzdar area, including Government Primary School Basti Ghulam Rasool, Ghulam Mustafa, Malik Sher Muhammad, Taj Muhammad, Lal Muhammad, Abdul Rahim, Ahmed Jat, Haji Dino , Toor Khan Buzdar, Deen Muhammad Udar Khan, Hayat Mohammad, Rafiq Marin, Majia ni Khurar Buzdar and Allah Baksh. Besides, a government girls middle school and a high school also exist on paper in Khurar Buzdar.

The buildings of the sixteen government schools are occupied by members of the Buzdar family.

According to ACE sources, the buildings of the schools are being used as camps and residences by his family.

The funds of all schools are being released regularly by the Punjab Department of Education while the teachers of all schools are receiving their salaries regularly every month.

The sources revealed that all the government school teachers of Usman Buzdar's area are his relatives. The education department has also sought complete record of the schools and the teachers.

The ACE has summoned Usman Buzdar, Umar Buzdar, Toor Buzdar and Shabbir Ahmed Chauhan at 10am on April 3, while the chief executive officer of the Education Department has also been summoned.

Meanwhile, the ACE has tightened the noose around leaders of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf and former provincial ministers. According to sources, they could be arrested in few weeks.

Investigations are underway against former provincial ministers Hafiz Mumtaz Ahmed, Khyal Ahmed Castro, former MPs Muhammad Latif Nazr, Malik Umar Farooq, Shakeel Shahid and more evidence of corruption have come out during inquiries.

According to sources in the ACE, corruption in public health engineering, building department, highway division was allegedly committed by the former provincial minister Hafiz Mumtaz Ahmed.

It was observed during inquiries. According to the sources, Khyal Ahmad Castro approved 151 development schemes in his constituency and he scammed contracts of projects in the construction of Home Economics College, Borewala Cricket Ground, Regional Blood Center.

He awarded contracts to his favorite contractors at a rate higher than the market value and by receiving crores of rupees in commission; he caused damage to the government treasury, the sources said.

The contracts were given to favourites and front men while full payments were made to the contractors before the completion of most projects. Besides, the material used in the development schemes was poor.

Ex-M PA Malik Umar Farooq approved 197 development schemes in his constituency.

He allegedly received crores of rupees in commission by giving contracts to people of his choice. Similarly, former MPA Shakeel Shahid approved 177 development schemes in his constituency.

He allegedly embezzled funds in the schemes and most of the schemes are still incomplete.

The ACE has summoned Hafiz Mumtaz Ahmed, Latif Nazr on April 4, while former provincial minister Khyal Ahmad Castro, former MPA Malik Umar Farooq and Shakeel Shahid have been summoned on April 3.