The Prime Minister’s Laptop Scheme (PM Laptop Scheme) has once again made headlines after an audit flagged over a thousand laptops as “missing.” The Higher Education Commission (HEC) has now broken its silence, clarifying that most of these laptops were not stolen but simply unaccounted for due to documentation issues.
According to HEC’s clarification, a total of 1,011 laptops were initially flagged. After reconciliation, 895 devices were successfully traced, leaving 143 laptops still pending verification. The majority of these—124 laptops—belong to the University of Karachi, while a smaller number are linked to the Government Sadiq College Women’s University, Bahawalpur.
PAC Audit Findings
The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) audit revealed that out of the flagged laptops, 784 were recovered while 227 remained unaccounted for, representing a financial impact of nearly Rs. 12 million.
To ensure accountability, PAC has directed universities to reconcile the pending laptops within 30 days. If the discrepancies are not resolved, the cost of these laptops will be recovered from the institutions and deposited into the Government Treasury.
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HEC’s Clarification and Next Steps
HEC stressed that the matter revolves around record-keeping errors rather than confirmed theft. Many laptops distributed under the PM Laptop Scheme were physically handed over to students but were not properly entered into asset registers or updated on the official portal.
Moving forward, universities are required to:
- Reconcile the 143 pending laptops within one month.
- Submit updated records to HEC.
- Face financial recovery measures if discrepancies persist.
PAC will continue monitoring compliance to ensure transparency and prevent similar record mismatches in the future.
The Higher Education Commission (HEC) clarified that laptops flagged under the PM Laptop Scheme were mostly due to record errors, not theft, and directed universities to reconcile pending cases within a month or face financial recovery.
How many laptops were initially flagged under the PM Laptop Scheme?
A total of 1,011 laptops were reported as unaccounted for.
How many laptops remain unreconciled?
Currently, 143 laptops remain pending verification.
Were the laptops actually stolen?
HEC clarified that the majority of cases are documentation errors, not proven theft.
What action has PAC ordered?
PAC has directed universities to reconcile laptops within 30 days or face financial recovery.
Which universities are under review?
The University of Karachi and the Government Sadiq College Women’s University, Bahawalpur.
