Tehreek-e-Ehtesab Shangla (Shangla Accountability Movement) has formally approached Pakistan's principal accountability and investigative institutions, seeking an independent inquiry into the utilisation of billions of rupees allocated to federal and provincial development projects in the district over the past two decades.
Petitions Submitted to Multiple Authorities
According to the movement, detailed petitions have been submitted to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), the Anti-Corruption Establishment, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), the Auditor General of Pakistan, and other relevant authorities. The requests call for a transparent investigation into development schemes implemented between 2002 and the present.
Representatives of the movement alleged that despite substantial public expenditure on infrastructure and welfare projects, numerous schemes remain incomplete while others have failed to deliver the intended benefits to local communities. They claimed that reports of unfinished schemes, abandoned projects, substandard construction, and alleged misuse of development funds warrant an impartial investigation by competent authorities.
Call for Comprehensive Audit
The petitions argue that if comprehensive inquiries into alleged financial irregularities can be conducted in other districts, including Kohistan, similar investigations should also be undertaken in Shangla. The movement stressed that its campaign is not directed against any individual, political party, or government institution, but is a public effort to promote transparency, safeguard taxpayers’ money, and strengthen the rule of law through an independent accountability process.
It has also called for a comprehensive forensic, financial, and administrative audit of all major development projects executed in the district since 2002. The proposed audit should examine project approvals, procurement and tendering procedures, contract awards, payment records, and the utilisation of development funds to establish whether public resources were managed in accordance with applicable laws and regulations.
Support from Civil Society
Movement leaders maintained that such scrutiny would help identify any administrative or financial irregularities, improve governance standards, and discourage the future misuse of public resources. They also argued that a transparent accountability process would strengthen public confidence in state institutions and enhance oversight of development expenditure.
The campaign has received backing from several civil society organisations and local activists, who have expressed support for what they described as an impartial and lawful examination of development spending in the district.
No Official Response Yet
No official response has yet been issued by the National Accountability Bureau, the Anti-Corruption Establishment, the Federal Investigation Agency, the Auditor General of Pakistan, or any other authority named in the petitions. None of the institutions has announced the launch of a formal investigation into the allegations.
The allegations contained in the petitions have not been independently verified. Any determination regarding financial irregularities, corruption, or legal liability will depend on the findings of investigations conducted by the competent authorities in accordance with the law.
