Muhammad Irshadullah
PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Anti-Corruption Department has launched investigations into alleged financial irregularities in two major sports development schemes.
Lelouni Sports Complex in Shangla and Choa Gujar Sports Complex in Peshawar raising serious concerns over transparency and governance.
According to official sources, the Lelouni Sports Complex was initiated during the previous PTI government, with funds released and the site finalized. However, during the caretaker setup, the project was abruptly halted, and an unusual directive was issued for the return of millions of rupees that had already been disbursed.
A letter purportedly from the Finance Department was sent to the Deputy Commissioner, directing the transfer of funds back to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Sports Directorate. Upon verification, it was revealed that the letter was fraudulent, indicating a possible attempt to illegally redirect the funds through forged documentation.
Despite the release of funds and award of the contract, the project was scrapped, and the allocated public money rendered useless. Initial inquiries suggest that the funds were meant to be returned to the Finance Department, not the Sports Directorate, highlighting a deliberate attempt at manipulation.
The Anti-Corruption Department has now sought detailed reports and complete documentation from the Sports Directorate.
In a similar development, the Choha Gujar Sports Complex planned to serve suburban areas like Chamkani has also come under scrutiny. Land was acquired and boundary walls were constructed; however, the project was shelved during the caretaker regime. Subsequently, Section 4 land acquisition order was rescinded, and the land is now reportedly being sold off as residential plots.
The situation has worsened with the provincial government seeking land for a proposed Rs200 million Horse Riding Club. Multiple locations, including Hayatabad and Regi, are being considered, but no final decision has been reached. Ironically, the land intended for the now-defunct Choha Gujar Sports Complex could have fulfilled this requirement.
Millions of rupees spent on initial infrastructure, including the construction of boundary walls at the chocha Gujar site, now lie wasted. The Anti-Corruption Department has formally taken notice and begun investigations to determine who ordered the cancellation of the project, who withdrew Section 4, and who is behind the commercial sale of the acquired land.
Both projects were part of the much-touted 1,000 Sports Projects initiative, which now faces serious credibility challenges. These back-to-back scandals have raised pressing questions about the misuse of public funds, administrative negligence, and lack of accountability in the province’s sports development efforts.
The inquiry is ongoing, and it remains to be seen whether concrete action will be taken or whether these cases will meet a familiar bureaucratic end.