DC office priorities: Public works funds spent on ‘gift’ for lawyers

Two vehicles purchased for SCBA from funds meant for public works; AGP detects Rs7.55m irregularities

ISLAMABAD:

The Auditor General of Pakistan (AGP) has detected irregularities of Rs7.551million in the Islamabad Deputy Commissioner’s office in the financial year 2011-12.

According to an audit report, the DC office purchased two Toyota Hiace vans at a cost of Rs7.551 million for the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) from funds meant for public work programmes.

The report stated that the administration was supposed to utilise the funds for public works, but the DC office diverted the amount and purchased vehicles for the bar association. The report said that it is not the responsibility of the DC office to purchase vehicles for the SCBA using public funds.

In response to the AGP observation, the DC office claimed that the vehicles were purchased on directives of then-prime minister Yousaf Raza Gilani and were handed over to the Prime Minister’s Secretariat.

The report also pointed out that there was a complete ban on purchase of vehicles during 2011-2012, thus making the purchase illegal and unauthorised. The AGP recommended that the issue be investigated and responsibility fixed.

An official at the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) Administration said that the vehicles were purchased to facilitate the legal fraternity. When reminded that Gilani himself had banned the purchase of vehicles, he replied that the ban was removed in order to facilitate lawyers.

Islamabad DC Mujahid Sherdil claimed that the matter was settled by the Departmental Accounts Committee in 2013 because it was a clear direction of the then-prime minister to purchase the vehicles and the administration just followed orders.

ICT health dept fails to auction 14 vehicles

Similarly, the AGP audit also pointed out that the ICT health directorate failed to auction eight vehicles and six motorcycles since 2005.

According to the report, the ICT health department had provided a list of eight vehicles and six motorcycles, which were unnecessary or needing replacement. The AGP observed that the department did not auction the vehicles, which deprived the government of due revenues.

The health department replied that three vehicles of the 14 vehicles have been declared ‘run-down’ by the department, while approval for their auction has been obtained.

The reply stated that in compliance with the direction of high-ups, a proposal regarding auction of the run-down vehicles has been placed before the auction committee, which is headed by the DC. The AGP report stated that the department has accepted the audit observation.

Sherdil admitted that the administration could not auction the vehicles, explaining that members of the auction committee were busy in dealing with sit-ins. He said that the vehicles would be auctioned soon.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 8^th, 2014.