AGP detects Rs3.195bn ‘irregularities’ in planning ministry

ISLAMABAD: The Auditor General of Pakistan (AGP) has detected financial irregularities and mismanagement amounting to Rs 3.195 billion within the Ministry of Planning, Development and Special Initiatives.

A report for the audit year 2025-26 about the financial year 2024-25 revealed that the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS), an attached department of the Ministry of Planning, Development and Special Initiatives, violated Rule 668 of the Federal Treasury Rules (FTR), Volume-I.

Rule 668 of FTR Volume-I states that advances granted under special orders of the competent authority to government officers for departmental or allied purposes may be drawn on the responsibility and receipt of the officers for whom they are sanctioned, subject to adjustment through the submission of detailed accounts supported by vouchers or by refund, as necessary.

According to the Auditor General of Pakistan, the PBS management paid Rs 3.195 billion as advances to district administrations across all provinces, including Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) and Gilgit-Baltistan (GB), against estimated expenditures on stationery, other stores, hiring of vehicles, and training/remuneration of field staff for the 7th Population and Housing Census and the 7th Agricultural Census 2023-24 during the financial year 2023-24.

The audit observed that neither detailed adjustment accounts were obtained from the district administrations nor was any unspent amount, if any, returned to the PBS. Audit was of the view that the failure to obtain detailed adjustment accounts and recover unspent amounts from the district administrations constituted a violation of the relevant rules.

The audit recommended that detailed adjustment accounts be obtained and any unspent amounts be recovered at the earliest.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2026