Financial irregularities totalling Rs222.0668 billion were reported in the Ministry of Communications during the fiscal year 2022–23, when Maulana Asad Mahmood was serving as Minister for Communications and Construction.
The audit report identified irregularities involving fraud, theft, recruitment, procurement, hiring private companies, bank accounts and other financial transactions.
According to the audit report, 40 cases involving fraud, theft and robbery revealed financial irregularities amounting to Rs48.8 million, while four cases related to human resources and recruitment involved irregularities totalling Rs2.73 billion.
According to the report, following instructions issued by the Finance Division on September 30, 2022, the Establishment Division authorised recruitment against 3,938 vacant posts in the Pakistan Postal Services Department. However, a total of 4,252 people were recruited in Grades 1 to 15. This meant that 314 more people were hired than the approved number of vacancies. The audit report identified these appointments as politically motivated recruitments made in violation of rules and regulations.
The audit report also identified five separate procurement cases in which the national exchequer reportedly suffered losses of Rs3.2616 billion.
According to the report, on March 20, 2028, the then prime minister of Pakistan issued an order directing all departments, including the Pakistan Post Office, to use Pakistan Postal Services for internal and external correspondence to increase the department’s revenue. However, according to the audit report, instead of implementing the prime minister’s instructions during the fiscal year 2022–23, the Pakistan Post Office hired four private companies, reportedly benefiting them by Rs2.8683 billion during the period.
The audit report also identified a loss of Rs20.85 billion resulting from unauthorised administrative arrangements with a commercial bank.
According to the report, on June 25, 2021, the Finance Division approved the opening of three accounts for the Pakistan Post Office at the National Bank of Pakistan. However, despite the Finance Division’s explicit instructions, the Pakistan Post Office opened five accounts at the bank. Two of these accounts were opened unlawfully beyond the approved number, and transactions worth Rs20 billion were conducted through them.
In another case, the audit report identified a loss of Rs492.5 million to the national exchequer. It also identified 11 separate cases involving the recovery of Rs3.7439 billion.
According to the report, in addition to these irregularities, 15 other cases resulted in losses of Rs194.5451 billion to the national exchequer.
The audit report’s findings point to widespread financial and administrative irregularities in the Ministry of Communications and the Pakistan Post Office, including matters involving recruitment, procurement and other financial transactions.
Also Read: ‘Government Doesn’t Need Fazlur Rehman to Survive’: Kundi
