Of country’s ailing accounts affairs

ISLAMABAD: Some interesting facts have surfaced related to the appointment of Balochistan Accountant General, unveiling a strange state of working in the audit and accounts service.

Recently, it was reported in ‘The News’ that even the official meeting minutes exposed an element of omission and commission in clearance of bills at the cost of national exchequer.

It has come to light that former accountant general of Balochistan, Hassan Saqlain, who issued the minutes of the meeting in question, was swiftly transferred from Balochistan and was reassigned to the headquarters in Islamabad in January 2024. Recently, he has been transferred out of the Auditor General of Pakistan office on a three-year deputation to another department.

The official, who replaced Hassan Saqlain, has assumed the office for fourth time. He has spent nearly six years in the office, including more than five years working on an OPS basis in BS-20.

The situation is almost similar in the accountant general offices in Punjab, Sindh, AJK, and KP. The BS-21 positions of accountant generals of Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa are being held by BS-20 officers, who have not completed the mandatory Advance/NDU course, following an advice from the Controller General of Accounts, but without approval from the competent authority under Section 10.

This correspondent sent questions to Auditor General of Pakistan, Controller General of Accounts, AG Balochistan and waited for several days but got no reply.

The budget consists of two parts, revenue receipts collected through the FBR and other government departments, and expenditures or spending from public funds by the five provincial and federal governments, managed through a centralised accounting system under the Controller General of Accounts.

While the government, under the direction of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), is making efforts to implement reforms within the FBR, it has neglected the spending side.

This unchecked government expenditure is the root cause of the severe financial mismanagement in Pakistan. Moreover, recoveries from illegal withdrawals of funds by Accounts/Treasury offices are minimal, as those responsible are often exonerated in inquiries, much like the clearance given by audit offices during audits. The government should form a high-powered committee to conduct inquiries on complaints, fact-finding and (E&D) inquiries closed by the Controller General of Accounts.