AGP audit flags Interior ministry for most irregularities

ISLAMABAD: A 399-page report by the Auditor General of Pakistan has identified financial irregularities, unrecovered dues and procedural lapses across a range of federal ministries and departments, with the Ministry of Interior and Narcotics Control accounting for the highest number of audit observations.

The interior ministry had 65 audit paras, more than any other entity reviewed. It was followed by the Higher Education Commission with 31, the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan with 18, the Ministry of National Food Security and Research with 17, the Ministry of Science and Technology with 16, the National Heritage and Culture Division with 12, the Pakistan Agricultural Research Council with 12, the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission with 12, the Ministry of National Health Services with 11 and the Education Division with 10.

The audit also covered several other ministries and institutions. Observations were raised against the Cabinet Division, Communications Division, Defence Division, Economic Affairs Division, Information Division, Inter-Provincial Coordination Division, Maritime Affairs Division, the National Accountability Bureau, the National School of Public Policy, the Ministry of Planning and the Religious Affairs Division.

Interior ministry observations

The report says the Ministry of Interior was cited for a broad set of financial, regulatory and administrative issues. Auditors pointed to the non-recovery of Rs22 million in annual renewal fees and penalties linked to no-objection certificates for armoured vehicles. They also reported non-recovery of Rs27 million in annual renewal fees from private security companies.

It further stated that receipts from 3,421 arms licences worth Rs56 million were not deposited into the government treasury. Auditors also questioned the conversion of manual arms licences into computerised licences, terming the process doubtful, and highlighted inconsistencies in data related to prohibited-bore weapons.

The audit also objected to the revision of driving licence fees and rules by the Islamabad Chief Commissioner Office without approval from the Finance Division. It further pointed to the non-establishment of the ICT Consolidated Fund and raised an objection over the appointment of the chief commissioner without presidential approval. The interior ministry, however, maintained that the appointment was made under established procedures.

Grant records and other issues

One of the major observations concerns a Rs40 million Unicef grant received by the Chief Commissioner Office for a child labour survey. According to the auditors, records regarding the receipt of funds, bank accounts, expenditure and utilisation were not produced for audit review. The management said the funds were handled through the Punjab Bureau of Statistics under Unicef policy, but the auditors said there was no supporting record available to verify how the grant had been used.

The report also flagged the issuance of stamp papers worth Rs290 million to cancelled vendors by the ICT Land Revenue Department. Other objections related to the computerisation of land records, mutation fees, recovery of road challans and irregular appointments in institutions including the Frontier Corps, Pakistan Rangers, Gilgit-Baltistan Scouts, the National Police Foundation and ICT Police.

Anti-Narcotics Force spending questioned

The AGP report also raised objections concerning the Anti-Narcotics Force, where auditors questioned Rs1.2 billion spent on overhauling two helicopters without open competitive bidding. The auditors recommended an inquiry into the matter, saying the procurement and expenditure process required further examination to determine responsibility for the alleged irregularity.

Qadir Yar Tiwana, director general media at the interior ministry, was contacted for comment, but did not respond until the report was filed on Saturday evening.