PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Information Technology Board (KPITB) has failed to achieve its goals under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) due to internal rift and political interference, according to sources within the board.
The sources said that the board has been unable to create jobs in the science and technology sector or attract foreign investment over the past three years due to alleged illegal recruitments on various senior positions. The sources added that the Auditor General of Pakistan had highlighted these recruitments in a report, but the provincial government or other agencies have failed to take action against those involved.
In an interview, Dr Ali Muhammad, the CEO of the KP IT Board, acknowledged that the board faced challenges in the early years of the CPEC. But since then, he said, the board has launched several successful projects. He also said that he cannot take action against those named in the auditor general’s report because the decisions were made by the board’s governing body, and he does not have the authority to overturn those decisions.
Dr Muhammad said that the board is currently working on five out of seven Special digital Economic Zones (SEZs) being built in Pakistan, including one in Haripur. The other four SEZs in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa will be developed through public-private partnerships.
According to MD, among the four projects that will be executed under the public private partnership, including Rs13 billion worth project in Peshawar, Rs10 billion project in Swat, Rs8 billion project in Abbottabad, while there is a land issue in Mardan.
The board has also received a grant of 16 million euros from the KfW Development Bank to help fund these projects.
However, the sources said that the board’s progress is being hampered by infighting between political appointees at senior positions. This infighting is preventing the board from implementing its key projects, which is causing the most harm to the youth of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
