Irregularities galore!

The Special Audit of Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has termed the expenditure of Rs.521.128 million during 2010-11 as irregular on the basis that the concurrence of Member Finance was not obtained as required in approved delegation of powers of 2009. According to details the expenditure incurred during fiscal year 2010-11 include Rs.2,412,580 development budget, Rs.18,841,940 Current Asset, Rs.375,348,755 on Salaries and Allowances and Rs. 24,028,426 on Welfare. Similarly, the expenditure incurred on repair and maintenance stood at Rs.8,226,071 while Rs.7,850,965 on General and Administrative expenditures. The report also termed the act of revision of delegated powers of members of the PTA by the Chairman PTA as violation of the Pakistan Telecommunication (Re-organization) Act 1996 (amended 2006). The report has also raised objection over the act of PTA Chairman who withdrew the powers delegated and role assigned to the members of the Authority without the approval of all the members of the Authority. All the Directors General were made to report directly to the Chairman. The report says that the role of Member (Finance) was diminished in violation of the Act which says “the Authority shall consist of three (3) members one of whom shall be professional telecom engineer and other shall be a financial expert,” The PTA accounting manual also restricts drawl of money without the written permission of Member Finance. The report says that the revision of delegated powers by the Chairman is violation of the provisions of the Act. Further, retrenchment of powers of Member Finance was also financial indiscipline.