Sindh Assembly’s Public Accounts Committee was informed on Friday that Shaheed Benazirabad district government committed financial irregularities worth Rs 114 million during the year 2010-11.
During scrutiny of the audit, it was pointed out by the audit officials that district coordination officer (DCO) was not competent to hire the services of legal advisor at the fee of Rs 4,75,000. It was contended that permission from the Sindh law department should have been obtained which was not done in this case.
The PAC issued directions to the assembly secretariat to seek opinion from the finance department to this effect.
Over Rs 7,00, 000 expenditures without inviting open tenders, the district govt contended the money was spent at different times within the prescribed limit and no tender was required. However, the audit officials argued the expenditure was incurred by splitting up of purchase orders in seven months to avoid tendering process.
About expenditures Rs 4.243 million incurred on repair and renovation of the mosque in Benazirabad, the audit official argued the district administration had not provided satisfactory evidence to verify the expenditures.
The PAC was also informed that district govt had failed to recover outstanding dues of Rs 1.522 million from tenants and no efforts had been made to this effect so far.
Meanwhile, at the start of PAC proceedings, Sindh Audit Director General Ghulam Akbar Sohu complained that the district Benazirabad officials did not cooperate with their team for audit purposes.
Benazirabad DC Rashid Zardari said they showed ‘a lot of care’ to the audit team’s requirements and also offered them drink, meal and other necessary things.
The PAC meeting was chaired by Sardar Jam Tamachi Unnar while only one MPA Muhammad Amir Moin Pirzada attended it.
At the end of proceedings, the audit official said there were total 16 paras of Benazirabad district govt involving financial irregularities of Rs 114 million out of which seven paras were settled containing Rs 53 million.
