Balochistan Public Accounts Committee Uncovers Billions in Financial Irregularities

The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of the Balochistan Assembly has uncovered billions of rupees in financial irregularities, citing unsurrendered savings, uncollected taxes, and funds improperly held in private bank accounts by government officials. The committee, chaired by Asghar Ali Tareen, reviewed audit reports on Monday and pointed to what it described as serious breaches of financial discipline across several departments. An audit for 2016-17 showed that out of Rs. 3.34 billion allocated for non-development funds, savings of Rs. 740.6 million were never surrendered. Between 2020 and 2022, deputy commissioners reportedly kept over Rs. 19.14 billion in bank accounts instead of depositing the amount in the provincial treasury, violating financial rules. Auditors were also denied access to records of Rs. 33.74 million in expenditures from 2019-21, while more than Rs. 1.1 billion in taxes,  including Usher, irrigation, and agricultural income tax, went uncollected. The report further cited improper cheque issuances worth Rs. 228.96 million from commissioners’ offices, which were made payable to drawing and disbursing officers rather than directly to vendors. PAC Chairman Tareen expressed “serious concern” over the findings, directing that all budgetary savings be surrendered immediately and that withheld funds be deposited into the treasury. He warned of disciplinary action against officers obstructing transparency and criticised deputy commissioners for ignoring PAC directives since 2020. The committee called for strict enforcement of financial rules, stressing that discipline cannot be ensured without accountability for negligent officials.