Audit report: Massive irregularities found at Pakistan Post Office

ISLAMABAD: An official audit has unearthed embezzlement worth millions of rupees in the Pakistan Post Office Department (PPOD).

According to the audit brief of the auditor general, Rs92.015 million were misappropriated on account of preparation of fake medical bill, postal pension, utility bills collection, saving bank account, bogus money orders (MOs) and fax money order had occurred during financial year 2014-15.

According to details provided by the audit report in 21 formations of the PPOD, including that of the post masters general (PMGs) Lahore, Quetta, Karachi, Hyderabad, Peshawar, Multan, Rawalpindi, Islamabad, Director Postal Life Insurance (PLI) Multan and some other formations, 48 cases of fraud and losses involved Rs53.747 million.

These irregularities or misappropriation were made in postal pension, utility bills collection, saving bank accounts, payment of bogus Money Orders and fax Money Orders.

Rs27.894 million losses occurred due to misappropriation by putting forged signatures/thumb impressions during 2008-09 to 2012-13 in PMGs Lahore, Rawalpindi, Islamabad, Multan, Hyderabad, Karachi and some others.

According to the audit report, the management registered FIRs with police in all 21 cases. However, neither any departmental disciplinary action was taken against the officers involved in frauds/embezzlement nor the amount was recovered.

The matter was reported to the Principal Accounting Officer (PAO) and the PPOD management during August to December 2015. It was replied that an amount of Rs24.682 million was recovered and efforts were underway to recover the remaining amount. Moreover, disciplinary action against the accused officials was initiated. However, according to the audit report, the reply is not acceptable because details of any amount – if recovered – were not produced to the audit for verification.

The audit recommended prompt recovery of the amount embezzled and finalisation of departmental disciplinary proceedings against the officials involved in such cases.

Village postman Bashir Ahmed of Jalalpur Pirwala, within the jurisdiction of Multan GPO, disbursed 600 money orders of the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) in a doubtful manner.

The delivery record revealed that 303 money orders were paid in just one day to beneficiaries residing in different locations ranging from six kilometres to 16 kilometres from Pirwala sub-office which was not practically possible.

Out of the 600 BISP money orders, only 178 pertained to be the beat of Bashir Ahmed whereas the remaining 422 pertained to other branches and sub-offices, including Kitla Chakkar and Bate Kage Branch offices.

Moreover, according to the audit report, irregular purchase of vehicles also caused a loss of Rs4.691 million.

The Director General, PPOD purchased four Suzuki Bolan vans and three Suzuki pickups at a cost of Rs4.691 million during FY2014-15 in violation of a ban imposed by the cabinet.

The management is of the view that the purchase of vehicles was completed before the ban was imposed and the administrative approval was obtained in 2011. However, the audit report termed the reply not acceptable.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 12^th, 2016.