The opposition members, forcing the government to hold a departmental enquiry to investigate financial embezzlements and other corrupt practices, expose the lofty claims of the government about reforming the sector. True, a clear picture will emerge only after investigations. However, the allegations by numerous members of the opposition parties make it difficult to rule out the possibility of irregularities.

And what explains the reluctance of the advisor to Chief Minister (CM) on elementary and secondary education (E&SE) Ziaullah Bangash to cooperate with the members of the opposition benches? Is he afraid that the charges of corruption may turn real? Or is he just following in the footsteps of his party’s higher command by not giving value to any opinion of the opposition parties?

Nevertheless, Speaker KP Assembly Mushtaq Ahmad Ghani’s intervention in favour of the members of the opposition party is a pleasant surprise. Hopefully, the advisor will enquire about the allegations made by the opposition parties after being directed by the Speaker KP assembly.

Complaints of the members of the opposition about malpractices in the education department reveal that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf’s (PTI) fight against corruption is a lacklustre one. Not to forget that reforming education sector is one of the critical points in the election manifesto of PTI. It is PTI’s second term in office in KP. So far, the party should have gained a sound knowledge of the ground situation.

The advisor’s claim that after the introduction of E-transfer system, there was no chance of irregularities in the transfers of teachers shows his naivety. He probably forgets that tampering with such electronic systems is quite easy. Neither is this the first instance where KP’s education department has come under fire. Earlier this year, an enquiry revealed massive corruption in the Iqra Farogh-e-Talim, KP’s government initiative to enrol out of school children between the ages of 5-16 residing in poor areas in the province.

But before anything else, Zia Bangash needs to understand that in any democratic setup, treasury and opposition benches work together to achieve maximum gains. While the ruling party has the responsibility of running the departments, the opposition’s primary tasks also include creating a system of check and balance. Any member of the government cannot dismiss the opinion of the members of the opposition parties just because they do not govern.

Since both sides enjoy people’s mandate, the ruling party needs to listen to the voices of the opposition. By listening to dissenting voices, the advisor can perform his duty diligently, i.e., advising the CM on the performance of the education department.