Alvi for improving legal framework to strengthen transparency in govt’s financial affairs

ISLAMABAD: President Dr Arif Alvi on Thursday stressed the need to improve the legal framework to strengthen transparency in the government’s spending and financial accountability.

Speaking at a meeting during his visit to the Office of Auditor General of Pakistan (AGP), the president said transparency could be improved by documentation of the economy and digitising the government’s transactions.

He said the use of modern technology will improve the performance of the AGP and stressed the need to create awareness about the role of the AGP, its activities and the audit findings.

He said the parliamentary oversight was important to ensure the judicious use of the public money and promotion of transparency in the government departments. Alvi appreciated the AGP’s role in improving parliamentary oversight and transparency in the government sector.

He said the auditor general’s role in identifying flaws and stabilising the government’s financial management system is very important.

During the meeting, the Auditor General of Pakistan, Muhammad Ajmal Gondal, informed the president on the role of the institution in the process of financial accountability. “The Office of the Auditor General of Pakistan is taking steps to make the audit process more effective,” he said.

The meeting was informed that the auditor general completed 95 percent compliance audits in fiscal year 2022-23 and improvements in audit and accounting processes will promote transparency, accountability and good governance.

The meeting was told that the steps were underway to incorporate advanced technology platforms and artificial intelligence tools into the audit process.

The meeting was further informed that the digitisation of the accounting process helped in making payments to the pensioners in an effective way.

The president was informed that with the help of digitisation, the performance of the institution has improved, which directly benefited the citizens.