The matter regarding alleged offer of illegal gratification to a former PPP government influential by an officer of the Pakistan Audit Department has been referred to the Interior Ministry for a thorough probe.
The Auditor General of Pakistan has made a request to the interior secretary in this regard and informed the prime minister about his request.
The Auditor General, it may be added, has taken serious note of the alleged telephone talk between an officer of the Pakistan Audit Department and influential persons of the former PPP government as reported in a column of a section of the press.
According to contents of the telephone conversation, the said officer allegedly offered an illegal gratification of Rs 250 million to an influential lady of the former PPP government. Later this officer was hassled to arrange an additional amount of Rs 200 million. The news report gives detailed account of this phone talk and states that a senior reporter of an Urdu daily is in possession of this telephone conversation.
A spokesman for the Auditor General’s office added that it is in view of the seriousness of the allegation, credibility of the columnist and the newspaper that the Auditor General has asked the Ministry of Interior to step in and properly investigate the matter to identify the culprits for initiation of disciplinary action.