LAHORE:
The Punjab government is unable to explain where it has spent Rs38 billion, which is missing from its accounts for the current fiscal year, official sources told The Express Tribune.
The authorities are reluctant to reconcile the missing amount despite repeated letters of accountant general (AG), they said.
It is feared that either the amount was embezzled or the Punjab government was not willing to share the details of expenditures with the AG – the custodian of public money.
The AG in a letter requested the Punjab chief minister to intervene personally in the issue, as the chief secretary was not responding even after repeated requests, an official said requesting anonymity.
Punjab AG Chaudhry Muhammad Aslam, in a letter No R&P/2011-12/31 dated March 27 written to Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, pointed out that there was a gap of Rs38 billion between the expenditures in civil accounts of Punjab government since July and no department was ready to reconcile this big amount, sources in the chief minister’s secretariat said.
According to a copy obtained by The Express Tribune, the Punjab AG wrote that unfortunately over the years the reconciliation of expenditures and receipts had weakened owing to non-responsive attitude of spending provincial departments and principal accounting officers by diversion of funds into Special Drawing Accounts (SDA)/Personal Ledger Accounts (PLA).
A huge amount of funds is diverted into these accounts to avoid normal mode of payments after pre-audit checks to be exercised by Punjab’s AG being custodian of public money on behalf of the auditor general. It is a matter of concern that diversion of funds to these accounts has been on the rise during the last few years and at present, there are about 1,754 accounts and pre-audit checks are not being exercised by the operators (heads of provincial departments and principal accounting officers of Punjab).
The matter was taken up with the Punjab Chief Secretary Nasir Mehmood Khosa via letter No R&C/HM-1609 dated December 2011, followed by a reminder R&C/HM/4486-87 dated February 29, but no response had been received.
The AG requested the CM to look into the matter personally to strengthen the pre-audit system of payments out of the consolidated fund and discourage the practice of opening SDA/PLA except in unavoidable cases.
There were apprehensions that such big gap could not develop without any ulterior motives. Some operators may have misappropriated or embezzled public funds and now they were not ready to reconcile expenditures with the AG, said an official requesting anonymity.
Punjab Treasury Chief Inspector Amjad Saleemi said being the chief accountant of the province it was failure on part of the AG’s office to reconcile accounts showing a gap of Rs38 billion.
About SDA/PLA, Saleemi said there was no need to get consultation from the AG to open these accounts of self accounting entities like Solid Waste Management and Arts Councils. On April 2, the finance department had directed the heads of the provincial departments and principal accounting officers to cooperate with the AG for reconciliation of accounts. The finance department spokesperson said that the Punjab government was fully cooperating with the AG for the reconciliation of accounts. If any department failed to do so the AG should stop payments of bills of defaulting departments, he added.
Chaudhary Zaheerud Din, chairperson Public Accounts Committee of Punjab said, “We were pointing out financial mismanagement of Punjab’s rulers from the very first day.” The PAC would take up the issue in the next meeting and upcoming assembly session, Din added.
Pakistan Peoples Party deputy parliamentary leader in the Punjab Assembly, Shaukat Basra, said the chief minister was putting a huge amount in ill-planned projects like sasti roti and free laptops without getting approval of legislature. It was a technical plundering of public money, he said.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 7th, 2012.
COMMENTS (44)
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People gotta eat!
Who can AG turn to? There is no Accountability Commission. NAB is toothless. Police is under the politicians. There is no one these governing big wigs are afraid of. Perfect environment for embezzlement of any amount of taxpayers’ money!
Dont expect any action as part of this booty will be shared with PPP and matter closed amicably.
what suo motto it is not done by ppp therefore its ok
Poor governance of PMLN!!!
Rs.38 billion? Paid to sellers of villas in Europe!
@Nauman The story is not that there are reconciliation issues, the story is that: "The authorities are reluctant to reconcile the missing amount despite repeated letters of accountant general (AG), they said."
And according to the report, CM was sent a letter on 27 March, but issue is still not resolved...
Makes a mockery of his claim that there is no corruption in Punjab Govt....
PTI + PPP troll what happend when clarification come from same department same news channel then all your allegation will be evaporate like water.
Where is the CJ of the Sharif (sic) Court?? Why doesn't he take action on this count??
This is the best example of good governance! Shaabash vote for shareefs next time as well :D
Reconciliation issues are not necessary embezzlement or fraud. Its an admininstrative issue alone and anyone with the slightest knowledge of accounting will bear me out.
and we were weeping for the corruption in laptops. Still wanna vote for PML N ?? hats off to you.
May be they are planning an extension of raiwind estate
Mismanagement or administrative issues, this need to be clarified & explained that where did the huge amount go & at the same time the AG should also ask the Fed Gov that where did the funds allocated of IB go???? wasn't that story also published by ET????....
I think Sharifs should resign as they promised!
Waiting for the IM to make a stunning disclosure this week as stated by him.
Just another Media story, nothing really inside would die in few days like Rehman Malik's rhetoric against NS.
. It has been siphoned by the PMLN under the able leadership of (not so) Sharif’s in "corruption" competition played skillfully between PPP and PML N. The "TIT FOR TAT" response had been matching and equally potent. Let it be known that this amount will "never ever", I repeat "Never Ever" be recovered
What a good governence. If elected again will do the same as they are doing the same for the last 25 years.
@Abdul Basit: Sir, it is not against Punjab but the corruption of Sharif and their party, they happen to rule Punjab. It is PML-N and Sharif who have been talking against the "corruption" of others and that Punjab is the best managed province. Let the truth come out in the open and people would see that Punjab under Sharif is not a foreign country but the same Pakistan as the other places. Regards, Mirza
A huge amount missing, and no clue where this much amount is invested. We do lack in checks for higher authorities and when it comes to ordinary people they take each and every thing into account and do what ever it takes to snatch it from them.
Exactly why we NEED Imran Khan. Corruption on this scale is impossible without the consent of the highest echelons of the government.
Punjab chief minister should resign and on the meanwhile a judicial inquiry should be loged
Difficult times ahead for pml(n).
They are probably buying more laptops or taxi's or sasti roti's, ha.
we love to comment on anything without a proof. how it can be unaccounted for? how it went out of public expenses, auditor general should explain that first. and if its in hasan nawaz account, then its no more "unaccounted for" and should be reportde to NAB
media has to swollow this bitter pill and criticise the PML N. many people say that media is paid huge amounts for reporting in favor of them. God knows the truth.
They should check on ebay , under the heading of "Used Currency" ,
Haha no wonder they aren't quitting the government - Samjhota Express in full swing!! from khi to lhr to peshawar n quetta!
What is 38 Billions among the leaders of "best managed province"? In the whole country only one party is corrupt that is PPP. Not even its allies are corrupt, just the PPP. The Suo Motu PCO CJ is silent that means this news is false. The imaginary memo that is not written by PM and the memo that is written by Mansoor Ijaz and delivered by him are more important public issue. You scratch my back, I scratch yours. Here is a classic example of nepotism and cronyism. Long live the clean govt of Punjab.
yes..CM has to take permission from Assembly for his faciful projects, he and his Chief Secretary consider themselves as kings, because media and judiciary supports them hugely..Treasurer Amjad Saleemi is the most crook player...hats off to you Sumra for this courage...keep it up, remaining silent or compromising is damaging for this country of ours..
won't be surprised if later its found some of the amount has gone to sectarian killers and organisations like JUD / DPC considering thr recent activities. Rest may be gone to doc for hair recovery of Mr. Sharif. Awaam ka paisa hai khubb khaao and importantly thr won't be any suo motou on this from Mr. CJ
Congratulations. Well done.. A Bank Job once again by our great ... Well.. hope they find the money , or the guy whos responsible or both. Im very confident in Pakistani government that they will solve this problem as quickly as possible. And every penny will be counted under the blessed eyes of zardari. And peoples money will be taken care of and used in projects to build the nation. THIS ALL WILL NEVER HAPPEN...
Why is only punjab always targetted? The media certainly seems to highlight only negative stories from punjab. Punjab is always portrayed only as the villain.Doesn't corruption take place in other provinces also?
lol
Given to Transparency International Pakistan.
LOL !!!! Its the repeat of 97 era . . . when they frozed foreign accounts . . .
Khadim - e - Ala doing his khidmat for the nation, and these people still have supporters in our insane country.
Rs. 38 billion is with Hussain Nwaz and he is doing property business in U.K.