Lahore – A shocking wave of solar panel theft in Punjab schools has come to light, with dozens of government institutions reporting stolen equipment during 2022 and 2023, ARY News revealed on Sunday.
According to official details, the Punjab Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has ordered police to launch a full investigation after widespread incidents surfaced. In Rajanpur district alone, solar panels were stolen from nearly 50 schools during the two-year period, raising alarm among authorities.
The PAC-III session, chaired by Tanveer Aslam Malik, strongly criticized law enforcement for negligence and announced that strict warning letters will be issued to District Police Officers (DPOs) in the affected areas. solar panel theft in Punjab schools Malik also condemned the Education Department for evading accountability and shifting responsibility to the District Health Authority.
The committee further instructed a comprehensive inquiry to assess the total number of schools impacted and whether any stolen panels have been recovered. However, the Education Department admitted that while FIRs have been registered, no recovery has been made so far — acknowledging the District Education Authority’s failure to secure the installations.
