PAC probes Rs36b 'fraud' in govt funds

An emergency meeting, convened under the chairmanship of the Speaker of the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Assembly and Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), Babar Saleem Swati, was held at the Provincial Assembly following the startling revelation of alleged embezzlement amounting to over Rs36 billion from government bank accounts in Upper Kohistan district of the province.

The meeting was attended by the K-P Accountant General, Advisor to the Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, Members of the Assembly Sajjadullah Khan, Mian Sharafat, Shafiullah Jan, and Asif Khan Mehsud, as well as senior officers of the Provincial Assembly Secretariat.

The meeting reviewed in detail recent media reports which exposed suspicious financial transactions involving more than Rs36 billion, along with the issuance of thousands of fake cheques drawn from government accounts through a fictitious construction company.

The reports alleged collusion by officials from the District Accounts Office, the Department of Communications and Works, the National Bank, and other concerned entities.

Given the gravity of the matter, the Speaker, in a prompt and decisive move, summoned a special session of the Public Accounts Committee on Monday, May 5.

The Secretary Finance, Director General NAB Peshawar, Accountant General K-P, Auditor General, Secretary Law and Parliamentary Affairs, Secretary Communications and Works, and Director General Audit have all been formally instructed to attend.

The objective is to examine every dimension of the matter and ensure thorough investigation.

On the directive of the Speaker, official communication has been issued by the Assembly Secretariat to all relevant departments to ensure their participation.

Speaking on the occasion, Speaker Babar Saleem Swati strongly condemned the alleged embezzlement, declaring that those who plunder the public's hard-earned money will face strict accountability.

He stated, "The K-P Assembly is enforcing a zero-tolerance policy against corruption, and all those involved will be brought to justice in accordance with the law."

He further emphasized that a comprehensive inquiry will be conducted to determine the failure of responsible officials within the Finance Department to prevent such a large-scale financial fraud.

Concluding his remarks, the Speaker underlined the significance of financial integrity, stating, "Without financial transparency and effective accountability, public trust cannot be restored, and the Assembly will take all necessary measures to achieve this goal."

Background

A local newspaper reported that National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has unearthed a whopping Rs40 billion scam in the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government's accounts concerning misappropriation of funds.