Misuse of funds: Gilani used cars to entice voters

Vehicles worth Rs190 million were bought through industries ministry for illegal distribution.

ISLAMABAD:

A fresh audit report has implicated former prime minister Yousaf Raza Gilani in a case involving the misuse of taxpayers’ money through the purchase of vehicles worth Rs190 million for distribution among his party’s voters.

The audit, covering the financial year 2011-12, was tabled by the federal government in the National Assembly. It showed that former premier Gilani had ordered the industries ministry to buy these vehicles. The report has been prepared by the office of the Auditor General of Pakistan (AGP). The current AGP Akhter Buland Rana  had been appointed by then prime minister Gilani.

The ‘irregularities and unauthorised’ purchases will be discussed by the Public Accounts Committee that was set up on Wednesday.

The industries ministry then handed over these mini-buses, rickshaws and pickups to former information minister Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan, former Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) parliamentarian Nabil Gabol and to some unfamiliar Karachi-based non-governmental organisations, according to the audit report on the accounts of the federal government for 2011-12 fiscal year.

“The General Financial Rules clearly state that public money should not be utilised for the benefit of a particular person or section of the community,” the report states. But the industries ministry paid an amount of Rs189.6 million for purchase of buses, coaches, pickups and rickshaws, it added.



The previous government handed over six mini-buses to former information minister Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan for further distribution in her constituency. The vehicles were bought in February 2012 at an estimated cost of Rs26.6 million, the report stated.

The ministry later bought six buses worth Rs29.7 million for Dr Awan’s constituency, who distributed these vehicles among women in rural areas; the auditors termed it ‘providing transport facilities’.

It further revealed that the industries ministry bought 200 three-wheeler CNG-four-stroke auto-rickshaws with an amount of Rs33.2 million that were given to then PPP MNA Nabil Gabol who la later switched loyalties and joined the MQM. There is no explanation given in the audit report as to what Gabol did with these rickshaws.

The previous government also donated a bus worth Rs4.9 million, to Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto Welfare Organisation, Muzaffargarh.

The auditors traced four other transactions which were carried out under names of unknown non-governmental organisations in Karachi. The ministry bought 20 buses and cabin pickups from taxpayers’ money for these NGOs. The industries ministry consumed Rs2.2 billion budget in fiscal year 2011-12.

FTO commits irregularity

According to the same audit report, the Federal Tax Ombudsman (FTO) Secretariat irregularly purchased an imported Toyota Fortuner, GX 739, worth Rs7.64 million out of funds allocated for the project of enhancing countrywide outreach, upgradation and computerisation of FTO offices. The project has been funded by the Asian Development Bank. The management claimed that the ‘imported’ vehicle was bought for performing, monitoring and evaluation of project activities.

The auditors rejected the reply and said the vehicle was purchased in violation of the instructions of the finance ministry. This audit objection would also be taken up by the PAC.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 24^th, 2013.