PAC blows whistle on Rs40b Kohistan scam
Chairing a meeting after a month-long break, PAC Chairman Junaid Akbar said that when the committee raises audit objections, the department concerned fails to cooperate effectively.
In May, the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government launched an investigation into the mega corruption scandal in Kohistan district, where an estimated Rs40 billion had allegedly been siphoned off from the provincial treasury.
The account was meant for retention money by contractors for schemes of four departments including communication and works, local government, irrigation and public health engineering departments. The scandal came under intense scrutiny during a meeting of the PAC, chaired by K-P Assembly Speaker Babar Saleem Swati.
Officials from the finance department and the Accountant General's office admitted during the session that billions had been misappropriated from government funds.
While an official embezzlement figure of Rs24 billion had been confirmed, the PAC members expressed dissatisfaction with the explanations provided by finance secretary and the accountant general.
On Wednesday, the audit officials revealed that there had been a misuse of cheque book, with fraud committed by three individuals who have now been arrested. The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) is currently investigating the matter.
The auditor general disclosed that despite sending three letters to the finance department, no disciplinary action had been taken against any of their officials. The committee demanded complete details of the case and directed that all relevant records be submitted.
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