KARAK- UNS:
Hundreds of students in District Karak have been waiting for years for scholarships and laptop schemes announced in the district’s name by various oil and gas companies in collaboration with IBA Karachi and other institutions.
Serious concerns have now been raised by students and parents that the allocated funds never reached the local beneficiaries and were allegedly transferred abroad.
According to local residents, scholarship and laptop programmes launched under the names of OGDCL, MOL, IBA Karachi Talent Hunt Programme and Beaconhouse have failed to materialise on the ground.
“Funds are announced, agreements are signed, but nothing reaches the deserving students,” said a parent. Community members claim that these schemes exist only in official documents, while no tangible benefits have been delivered to the students of Karak.
Students allege that despite repeated announcements over the years, no genuine beneficiary from Karak has received scholarships or laptops.
“We are given scholarships only in name. In reality, we received nothing,” a student said.
“Laptop schemes, scholarships and Qarz-e-Hasna are all promises without implementation,” another added.
The matter has taken a more serious turn as students and parents have now expressed fears that the funds may not only have been withheld locally but were possibly transferred abroad.
Some residents claim that suspicious transactions may have been routed to the United States, Canada and other countries.
Citizens have demanded that the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), Financial Monitoring Unit (FMU) and other accountability bodies launch a full investigation, including scrutiny of international transactions.
“We are not making accusations; we are demanding an investigation,” said a community representative. “We fear that funds meant for our children were sent abroad. This requires an international-level probe.”
The absence of transparent data, missing scholarship lists and poor record-keeping have further deepened suspicions.
Community members argue that if funds were indeed transferred overseas, the case could fall under money laundering laws, warranting immediate action by the authorities.
Students of Karak have vowed not to remain silent over what they describe as a denial of their educational rights.
They are calling for public disclosure of all scholarship funds, laptop schemes and agreements made in the district’s name, and for strict action against those found responsible if the allegations of foreign transfers are proven true.
