PAC takes notice of irregularities in Auqaf dept

The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of the Sindh Assembly has taken notice of irregularities of Rs2.85 million in the financial year 2016-2017 in the Auqaf, Zakat and Ushr department. The committee, while also taking notice of non-provision of records of audit paras by the Awqaf department, has ordered the suspension of the accountant of the Auqaf department.

The PAC has appointed the Awqaf secretary as an inquiry officer to investigate the illegal recruitment of four officers in the Auqaf department and the illegal payment of Rs16.093 million to 23 employees including 18 officers of the department in the form of salaries and allowances.

The PAC has sought a report within two weeks and directed the Auqaf department to provide the details of more than 18,000 acres of land allotted to different people in various districts including Sujawal, Mirpurkhas, Tando Jam.

The committee has directed the department to provide the record of allotment amount by August 13.

The PAC meeting was held in the committee room of the Sindh Assembly with Nisar Khoro in the chair.

Committee members Qasim Soomro, Sadia Javed, Rehan Rajput participated in the meeting in which 19 audit paragraphs of Sindh Auqaf, Zakat and Ushar department for three years, from 2016 to 2018, were reviewed.

The meeting was informed that the department had not provided record about supply of various items from non-registered suppliers during the Urs celebrations of Hazrat Lal Shabaz Qalandar and Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai in audit para 3.4.1. Moreover, the department has not provided the audit record of irregularities of Rs2.85 million.

PAC Chairman Nisar Khoro said that many years have passed, but the accountant of the department has failed to present the record, which falls under the category of negligence.

Audit of para 3.4.2 in the meeting revealed that the then chief administrator of the department created one post in grade 18 and three posts in grade 17 on his own discretion without the approval of the finance department and the competent authority.