Islamabad — Serious allegations have emerged against OGDCL, MOL and certain federal authorities for allegedly depriving the students of Karak and the Khattak region of their legitimate educational rights while misusing the district’s name for scholarship schemes.
Shakir Zeeshan Khattak, in a petition submitted before the Federal Ombudsman in Islamabad, stated that the so-called Talent Hunt and CSR Scholarship initiatives of OGDCL and MOL are “nothing more than cosmetic, paper-based programmes” that fail to benefit the very communities whose resources fuel the national economy.
He asserted that despite extracting oil, gas, salt and other valuable minerals from Karak for decades — resources that generate billions of rupees annually — the local population, particularly students, remain completely deprived of educational support.
“Federal institutions have remained silent spectators while OGDCL’s CSR programme exists only on paper,” he said.
Thousands of Seats Wasted Each Year
Khattak further revealed that OGDCL officials deliberately sanctioned scholarships to only 10 students out of 100 seats annually, while thousands of deserving students from Pakistan’s most underprivileged regions — Dera Bugti, Sui, Sanghar, Tharparkar, Karak and Hangu — were left without any support.
“This is not just mismanagement — it is a grave injustice and clear exploitation of backward districts,” he said.
CSR Funds Used for Personal Favors
According to Khattak, OGDCL’s CSR fund — intended for education, health, community uplift and local development — has been manipulated by senior officials, particularly the GM and MD, for personal and political favoritism.
He alleged that scholarships and CSR benefits have repeatedly been awarded to relatives, acquaintances and influential individuals rather than to deserving students from Karak and other resource-producing areas.
“There is no merit system, no transparency, and no accountability. Corruption has deeply penetrated the system,” he added.
Use of Karak’s Name Without Providing Any Benefit
Khattak argued that if OGDCL, MOL or any federal institution refuses to award scholarships to students of Karak, they have no moral or legal right to use the district’s name in their schemes, advertisements or CSR reports.
He stated that requests filed under the Right of Information Act to obtain the list of scholarship beneficiaries were rejected by the companies, proving that scholarships were granted to non-local, non-deserving, and at times unidentified individuals.
Contrast With Punjab’s Youth Programs
Khattak also highlighted that while the Punjab government continues to introduce youth-focused initiatives — including scholarships, internship schemes and laptop programs — students from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, particularly Karak, remain neglected despite living atop Pakistan’s richest oil and gas reserves.
“This is a district that has given the country immense natural wealth. Yet its students have been deprived of even their basic educational rights,” he said.
Demands Presented to Federal Government and OGDCL
Shakir Zeeshan Khattak urged the authorities to take immediate corrective measures, presenting the following key demands:
- A transparent, permanent and merit-based scholarship scheme for students of Karak and the Khattak region under OGDCL CSR.
- A full investigation into corruption, nepotism and financial misuse by the GM, MD and other responsible officials.
- Proper utilization and public auditing of royalty funds meant for education, health and community welfare.
4. Special quotas and dedicated scholarships for Karak/Khattak students in all major universities across Pakistan.
“The Burden of These Resources Falls on Karak — Their First Right Must Also Belong to Them”
Khattak warned that if the federal government and OGDCL continue to ignore the region, the sense of deprivation among the youth will deepen, which he described as “harmful not only for Karak but for national stability and cohesion.”
“This is the time to deliver justice to the students of Karak and the Khattak belt. These resources come from their land — and the first right to benefit from them must also be theirs,” he concluded.
Sohail Majeed is a Special Correspondent at The Diplomatic Insight. He has twelve plus years of experience in journalism & reporting. He covers International Affairs, Diplomacy, UN, Sports, Climate Change, Economy, Technology, and Health.
