The hard cost of Pakistan’s ‘soft’ international image

Foreign missions not only overspent but also lost money between 2008 and 2011, showsauditor-general’s annual report.

ISLAMABAD:

Representing a country as suspiciously viewed internationally as Pakistan is an expensive affair, as the Auditor-General of Pakistan’s annual report 2009-10 finds out.

According to the report, the expense of as many as 121 Pakistani missions increased between 2008 and 2011 from Rs5.7 billion in 2008-09 to Rs7.3 billion in 2009-10 to Rs8.3 billion in 2010-11. So far, in the current fiscal year, they have spent Rs5.9 billion.

Unsurprising given Pakistan’s erratic relations with the US between 2008 and 2011, the highest expenditure was incurred by Pakistan’s mission to Washington and crossed over Rs2.1 billion. The mission to New York incurred Rs1.3 billion over the same period.

Furthermore, expenditures increased every year: the Washington mission spending Rs332 million and the New York mission Rs276 million in 2008-09 and Rs546 million and Rs348 million were spent respectively in 2009-10. The respective expenditure increased to Rs776 million and Rs394 million in 2010-11. So far in the current year, the Washington mission has spent Rs475 million while the New York mission has spent Rs320 million.

The mission to London was the second most costly, with expenses rising from Rs245 million in 2008-09 to Rs252 million in 2009-10 to Rs282 million in 2010-11. In the current fiscal year, it has spent Rs234 million.

The third most expensive foreign mission was that to archrival India, with total expenditure at Rs875 million for three years. The Pakistani mission to New Delhi spent Rs181 million in 2008-09, Rs271 million in 2009-10 and Rs238 million during the last fiscal year. Since March 2011, it has spent Rs184 million.

In neighbouring Afghanistan, with which Pakistan has shared an ambivalent relationship over the past three years, the mission spent Rs541 million. In 2008-09, the Pakistani mission to Kabul spent Rs100 million, Rs148 million in 2009-10 and Rs158 million in 2010-11. This fiscal year, the mission has spent Rs137 million.

Misappropriation

Pakistan’s foreign missions are as plagued by financial embezzlement as local departments, the report shows.

Pakistan’s mission to Abuja, Nigeria, misused $224,499 due to a delay in the construction of the chancery building. In Warsaw, Poland, the Pakistani mission lost $40,000.

The Pakistani missions lost much money due to Pakistan Community Welfare (PCW) programmes in Europe. In Berlin, Germany, the mission lost 17,640 euros while in Rome, Italy, it lost 8,673 euros. In Rome, the mission lost another 97,000 euros due to unauthorised expenditure on account of extension of chancery’s telephone exchange.

Pakistan’s mission to Abu Dhabi also lost 60,000 dirhams due to the PCW programme.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 24^th, 2011.