Auditors point out irregularities in PSL-V affairs

ISLAMABAD: The Audit and Inspection report (exclusively available with ‘The News’) has pointed out several irregularities and unconstitutional measures in the Pakistan Super League-V (2019-2020), including an advance payment of Rs908.94 million to the vendors.

According to the report, the management of the PSL-V made advance payments to different vendors on the account of provision of services due to non-framing of the financial rules.

The advance payments were made to the likes of Sportzworkz Private Limited (TV Production Service — (Rs334, 593, 759 and another Rs181,013,363), Ottewill Silversmith and Jewelers (Rs 6,274,120), Asim Azhar (2,027,027), Gali Films (Rs7,540,000), Eastern Star International (Security Consultancy Rs27,963,000), Zing International (Rs10,325,007) and a host of other vendors also received the advance payments.

The auditors observed the advance payments were made without obtaining bank’s guarantee from the vendors.“The PCB had not framed any financial rules due to which no uniform policy was adopted by the management with regard to the advance payments. The management of the cricket board did not provide any adjustment accounts of the advance payments.”

The audit is of the view that advance payments without provision of rules as well as obtaining bank’s guarantee from the vendors were declared irregularities and against the financial discipline.It was also observed that irregular expenditures on the opening ceremony of the PSL V cost heavily. An amount of Rs241.30 million was spent on the opening ceremony.

Apart from that, the PCB management made 15% extra payment on the account of additional work in violation of the contract agreement. No justification was found for 15% extra payment. Neither quantitative task was assigned nor a completion report was provided to the auditors. No evidence was provided with vouchers for the attendance of singers as well as the dancers.

The auditors observed that the PCB’s procurement rules, provide that procurement of goods, services and works for Rs500,000 and above shall be made centrally after the advertisement of bids in an open tender notice.

“All the procurement opportunities over Rs3 million Pakistani should be advertised on the authority’s website as well as in print media having wide circulation. The advertisement in the newspapers shall principally appear in at least two national dailies.”

The auditors found that the PCB management did not provide the process of selection of event pro through open competition till to date.“The event pro did not provide 10% of total performance security as per agreement.” The auditors also had serious observations about the hiring process of liaison officers.

The management of the PCB hired Liaison and Protocol Officers for PSL-V and incurred an expenditure of Rs12.32 million during the financial year 2019-2020 with an advertisement.The audit also observed that appointments were made on contract basis without advertisement and no selection criteria, required qualification and experience was followed.

“No Planning was made for the selection of Liaison and Protocol Officers for PSL-5 during financial year 2019-2020. No list of Liaison and Protocol Officers were provided to the audit team. There were no terms and conditions set out for liaison and protocol officers. No regional quota was observed during the process of selection of Liaison and Protocol Officers.”

The audit termed hiring of Liaison and Protocol Officer without advertisement as irregular and unauthorized.The audit also recommended that the matter may be investigated and responsibility be fixed on the persons responsible. There are several other irregularities pointed out by the auditors in the PSL-V, which was organised during tenure of Ehsan Mani as PCB chairman.