World News | Administrative Decay in Pakistan: Fee Voucher Scam Freezes Matric Results of 409 Candidates in Sahiwal
Get latest articles and stories on World at LatestLY. The Sahiwal BISE withheld matriculation results for 409 students following allegations of financial corruption in fee vouchers. Meanwhile, Pakistani police conducted raids and registered cases against dozens of opposition party workers and their family members following anti-government demonstrations in Sahiwal.
Sahiwal [Pakistan], August 9 (ANI): Highlighting systemic administrative rot and growing political repression in Pakistan, the Sahiwal Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education (BISE) has withheld the matriculation examination results of 409 candidates following widespread financial discrepancy allegations, Dawn reported on Sunday.
The Secondary School Certificate (First Annual) Examination 2026 results were halted after the board's accounts department was instructed to audit and cross-verify paid fee vouchers against bank statements, revealing significant gaps in official record-keeping.
The development follows mounting concerns over state-level mismanagement, prompting the local administration to set up a four-member fact-finding panel to investigate alleged financial embezzlement surrounding student examination fees.
According to official figures, approximately 2,76,999 students sat for grades 9, 10, 11, and 12 examinations this year. Serious allegations emerged that regular examination fees, ranging between Rs 4,000 and Rs 4,500 deposited on prescribed challan forms by students, failed to reflect in bank accounts, exposing severe institutional loopholes and possible corruption within the educational setup, Dawn reported.
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Confirming the ongoing crisis, Assistant Commissioner Gulam Hussain, who has held additional charge as board secretary since January 2026, admitted to Dawn that while the broader matriculation results had been declared, several individual outcomes remained suspended as the committee scrutinises all fee challans.
Detailing the probe, Shafique Ahmad Dogar, Director of Development & Finance at the Commissioner Office and head of the fact-finding panel, informed Dawn that the final investigative report was being compiled and would require two to three days for completion.
Meanwhile, a temporary facilitation centre has been set up at the BISE Sahiwal premises where affected students are being forced to submit their payment proofs manually to clear their held-up results.
In a separate reflection of ongoing political crackdowns across Pakistan, the District Courts Judicial Magistrate Khawaja Mahad Hussain on Saturday discharged a criminal case registered against six Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) workers and office-bearers.
The case had been registered by the Bahadur Shah Police on August 6 against 12 PTI workers, including six unidentified individuals, for organising a demonstration on Muhammadpur Road to mark the third anniversary of former Prime Minister Imran Khan's arrest and demanding his immediate release.
Those discharged by the court include Bahawal Sher, Javed Naseer, Ali Sher, Amir Shahzad, Zakir Ali, and Arshad.
Simultaneously, Additional Sessions Judge Muhammad Azfar Siyal granted interim bail extensions until September 3 to several local PTI leaders, including City President Shahid Chohan, City General Secretary Rizwan Muzaffar, Senior West Punjab Vice President Muhammad Yar Damrah, and Sahiwal Tehsil General Secretary Muhammad Shahbaz Khera.
The legal action follows a wider police crackdown where nearly 35 PTI activists and office-bearers were booked by Sahiwal City Police in dual cases for staging street demonstrations and blocking traffic at Ghala Mandi, Liaqat Chowk, and Jinnah Chowk on August 5.
Demonstrating aggressive law enforcement tactics, police conducted late-night raids on the residences of political workers on August 5 and 6, Dawn reported.
As primary political figures evaded capture, local police resorted to detaining family members, including the two sons of PTI City Secretary Rizwan Muzaffar Shah, Sajawal Haider Shah and Syed Hussain Bukhari, alongside Ali Arshad Damrah, the brother of PTI ticket-holder Muhammad Yar Damrah, and Shahzad Haider Kheera. (ANI)
(The above story is verified and authored by ANI staff, ANI is South Asia's leading multimedia news agency with over 100 bureaus in India, South Asia and across the globe. ANI brings the latest news on Politics and Current Affairs in India & around the World, Sports, Health, Fitness, Entertainment, & News. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)