Govt refutes allegations of irregularities

The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government has strongly rejected allegations of irregularities and financial misconduct in its flagship initiative to provide free solar energy systems to 130,000 low and middle-income households.
In a statement issued on Sunday, the provincial administration labeled recent media reports as "baseless" and part of a "misleading propaganda campaign" allegedly driven by vested interests within the solar industry.
The Energy and Power Department clarified that the large-scale solarization project is being implemented through the Pakhtunkhwa Energy Development Organization (PEDO), a subsidiary body of the department.
Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur recently inaugurated the first phase of the initiative via online e-balloting, ensuring a transparent selection of eligible beneficiaries. Authorities emphasized that no funds have yet been disbursed under the scheme, nor has any contract been awarded to a vendor. The project's cost estimates have been prepared in line with the Market Rate System (MRS) 2024 and endorsed by the Finance Department's approved market analysis.
The project underwent rigorous evaluation and received clearance from a Technical Committee.

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