Anti-Corruption authorities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have launched an investigation into the illegal sale of soap bars donated by UNICEF for Pakistan’s polio eradication efforts. Around 200 bars, labeled “Not for Sale” and intended for public hygiene initiatives, were discovered being sold in Peshawar’s Faqeerabad market.
The illegal sale was uncovered during a raid led by Additional Assistant Commissioner Azimullah Mehsud, acting on a tip-off. Reports suggest the soaps were not only being sold locally but also marketed online via Facebook Marketplace.
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The arrested suspect allegedly offered to supply an additional 3,000 bars and admitted to selling each for Rs40–Rs45 after repackaging them. The soaps were reportedly being distributed to areas within Pakistan, including Dera Ismail Khan, and even across the border to Jalalabad, Afghanistan.
This misuse comes at a critical time, as Pakistan has reported 74 polio cases in 2024 and 13 more in 2025, heightening concerns over corruption and mismanagement in the country’s public health initiatives.
Circle Officer Humayun Khan from the KP Anti-Corruption Department confirmed that legal proceedings are underway and the matter is being thoroughly investigated.
