A shocking audit report presented to the Punjab Assembly’s Public Accounts Committee-III has revealed that solar panels worth more than Rs 6.5 million were stolen from 50 government schools in Rajanpur district during the fiscal year 2022–23.
The committee expressed deep concern over the large-scale theft and directed the authorities to launch police investigations across the province, warning that similar incidents may have gone unreported in other districts.
Committee member Tanveer Aslam Malik urged that strict instructions be issued to district police officers in the affected regions. He also demanded a detailed record of the targeted schools and clarification on whether any of the stolen equipment had been recovered.
Officials from the Education Department informed the committee that police cases had been registered in connection with the thefts. However, the Audit Department criticized local education authorities for failing to safeguard the solar panels, which were meant to provide uninterrupted electricity to schools.
The committee has now pressed for accountability and stronger measures to prevent future incidents, stressing that millions in public funds had been wasted due to negligence and lack of security.