The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has vehemently denied allegations of financial mismanagement in its flagship initiative to provide free solar systems to 130,000 low and middle-income families. In a strongly-worded statement, provincial officials dismissed recent media reports of Rs33 billion irregularities as “baseless propaganda” allegedly pushed by vested interests in the solar sector.
Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur recently launched the project’s first phase through an online e-balloting system designed to ensure transparent beneficiary selection. Authorities clarified that no vendor contracts have been awarded nor funds released so far, with cost estimates based on the Market Rate System 2024 and vetted by the Finance Department. The Pakhtunkhwa Energy Development Organization (PEDO) is implementing the scheme after clearance from a technical committee comprising energy, finance, and planning experts.
The government countered claims of procurement violations, noting advance approvals were obtained under Section 22 of the KPPRA Act. A Bank of Khyber partnership has been established to facilitate project execution, while Chinese-Pakistani joint ventures will handle technical implementation.
The rebuttal comes amid media reports alleging inflated costs, restricted competition, and tender process breaches. Provincial officials labeled these accusations as attempts to “distract from the truth,” emphasizing cabinet-approved non-ADP funding and pending PDWP clearance to expedite the initiative.
With the solar scheme positioned as a key poverty alleviation measure, the KP administration maintains its commitment to transparency while preparing to roll out systems to selected households in coming months. Critics, however, continue demanding third-party audits of the project’s financial mechanisms.
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