ISLAMABAD: The ‘corrupt’ and ‘incompetent’ officials of Baitul Maal have looted Rs 1,070.727 million from the government’s major welfare body, Pakistan Today learnt on Monday.
The audit report 2009-10 of the Ministry of Social Welfare and Special Education revealed that a total of Rs 1,070.727 million were embezzled from the accounts of Pakistan Baitul Maal (PBM).
According to details, PBM disbursed Rs 926.655 million under the Food Support Programme (FSP) without valid Computerised National Identity Card numbers.
“PBM, being the executing agency, was required to ensure the payment to real beneficiaries by completing all formalities, but payment of the 12th instalment amounting to Rs 926.655 million (Rs 3,000 each to 308,885 people) was made in Punjab without ensuring valid CNICs in the year 2007-08,” reveals the audit report.
The report said the CNICs were fake as they had less than 11 digits (per old NIC) and 13 digits (per new NIC).
Auditors demanded details of invalid beneficiaries of other provinces, including those from the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT), on November 11, 2008, but
the authorities failed to furnish the same, the report said.
The audit report said due to the failure of PBM to develop a computerised system, Rs 129.471 million were withdrawn fraudulently from the national exchequer.
“The PBM district office is the secretariat of District Food Support Steering Committee (DFSSC) and is responsible for maintenance of the union council-wise computerised updated list of FSP beneficiaries,” the audit officials said.
“PBM failed to develop a computerised system. The management could have developed a computerised software system for FSP prior to disbursement of the 13th (2008-09) instalment.
The record disclosed that 43,157 accounts of beneficiaries were duplicate ones. The payment on duplicate accounts resulted in fraudulent withdrawal of Rs 129.471 million from the treasury,” the report added.
It further said due to loose internal controls and violation of procedures in PBM Nawabshah, an amount of Rs 14.601 million was embezzled during the disbursement of the 12th (2007-08) instalment of FSP.
