Corona suo motu case: Rs3.1 bn irregularities made in Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: The Auditor General of Pakistan has informed the Supreme Court about Rs3.1 billion irregularities in the Pakistan Bait-ul-Mal and Rs574 million in Zakat distribution during the 2019-20 audit.

In a report submitted to the apex court in the coronavirus suo motu case, Deputy Auditor General Sardar Azmat Shafie through the Attorney General’s office informed the court that in the Zakat fund audit of year 2019-20, the total budget of Zakat department was Rs7.38 billion.

A five-member larger bench of the apex court – headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Justice Gulzar Ahmed – will resume the case hearing tomorrow (Monday).

Justice Umar Ata Bandial, Justice Mazhar Alam Khan Miankhel, Justice Sajjad Ali Shah and Justice Qazi Muhammad Amin Ahmed are the other members of the bench.

“A sample audit of 13% of this budget amounting to Rs961million was carried out in which irregularities of Rs574 million were pointed out, making 60% of the audited amount,” says the report.

It was further revealed that the Pakistan Bait-ul-Mal’s annual budget was Rs5 billion. An audit of 100 percent budget was carried out and irregularities to the tune of Rs3.1 billion were found. The irregular expenditure in the case of Bait-ul-Mal was 62%, while Rs475 million recoveries were pointed out, according to the report. The court was further apprised about the division of Zakat funds between the federal government and provincial governments. The court was informed that out of total collection 7% was being retained for the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT), Fata and Gilgit Baltistan, while the remaining 93% share was given to provinces of which Punjab gets 57%, Sindh 24%, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 14% and Balochistan 5%.