The Sindh Textbook Board has come under scrutiny after the Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) launched a probe into alleged irregularities in the award of printing contracts worth Rs5 billion for free school textbooks.
According to officials, ACE’s Karachi headquarters has summoned Board Chairman Parvez Baloch and former secretary Taimoor Khaskheli to appear on October 2 with complete records. The investigation focuses on claims that contracts for the 2024–25 academic year were awarded to favoured publishers without fair bidding procedures.
The inquiry team has sought extensive documentation, including National Tax Numbers of the contracted firms, their work history, bid reports, supply orders, delivery challans, records of advance payments, and correspondence of the procurement committee.
Each year, the Sindh Textbook Board prints and distributes nearly 5.5 million sets of textbooks free of cost to government schools across the province. Officials say ensuring transparency in this process is critical to safeguarding the integrity of the education sector.
The ACE move reflects mounting pressure for accountability in public procurement, particularly in sectors directly affecting students and schools.
