The Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) has reportedly launched a formal inquiry into alleged irregularities in the Rs. 5 billion textbook printing contracts awarded by the Sindh Textbook Board.
The contracts, intended for free distribution of schoolbooks, are suspected to have been granted to favoured publishers without adherence to transparent procedures.
The investigation has intensified against Board Chairman Parvez Baloch and former secretary Taimoor Khaskheli. Both officials have been directed to appear at ACE’s Karachi headquarters on October 2, bringing with them all relevant records.
According to reports, the probe focuses on the academic year 2024–2025, when contracts were reportedly awarded to selected publishers while bypassing competitive bidding norms.
ACE has requested a wide range of documentation, including National Tax Numbers (NTNs) of companies that received contracts, company profiles, previous work histories, bid reports, supply orders, delivery challans, and records of advance payments. The agency has also asked for correspondence related to the procurement committee.
The Sindh Textbook Board annually prints and distributes nearly 5.5 million sets of textbooks free of cost to government schools across the province. Given the scale of the operation, investigators stress that ensuring transparency in the process is critical for maintaining public trust in the education sector.
The ACE action underscores rising concerns over accountability in public-sector contracts, particularly in projects that directly affect the quality and accessibility of education.