Pakistan: Widespread solar panel theft from schools in punjab

Islamabad [Pakistan], September 7 : A recent audit report has uncovered a shocking case of widespread solar panel theft from government schools in Punjab, Pakistan, ARY News reported.

Between 2022 and 2023, thieves targeted 50 schools in Rajanpur alone, stealing solar panels.

The Punjab Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has taken notice of the issue and directed the police to conduct a thorough investigation.

The PAC-III meeting, chaired by Tanveer Aslam Malik, expressed serious concern over the incidents and criticised the Education Department for failing to take responsibility, as per ARY News.

Instead, the department shifted the blame onto the District Health Authority, sparking frustration among committee members.

Malik emphasised the need for accountability and instructed that strict letters be issued to District Police Officers in affected districts, highlighting their failure to prevent such incidents.

The committee instructed that a detailed inquiry be conducted to determine the number of schools affected and the extent of recovery, if any.

The Education Department, in its response, stated that FIRs had been registered regarding the thefts, but no recovery has been made to date. It admitted that the District Education Authority failed in safeguarding the solar panels.

Meanwhile, the Sindh government had announced a proposal to give out free solar panels to homes using up to 100 units of electricity each month in an attempt to alleviate the burden of skyrocketing power bills.

The Sindh Energy Department is still accepting applications from qualified customers. Applications for this program can be submitted by those who meet the requirements based on their electricity usage.

According to ARY News, the Sindh government announced the distribution of solar panels to 200,000 families. Seventy-seven thousand houses have already received solar panels, and 123,000 more will receive panels in the upcoming phase, according to data from the provincial assembly.

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