The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) Sub-Committee, chaired by Member of the National Assembly Tariq Fazal Chaudhry, was informed on Tuesday of a major discrepancy in the Federal Public Service Commission (FPSC) accounts, revealing that federal receipts worth Rs18.965 million remain unreconciled. The financial irregularity, rooted in examination fee collections from 2004-05, has resurfaced after nearly two decades, prompting renewed scrutiny from the country’s top accountability body.
According to officials from the Auditor General’s Office, the issue was first flagged in the 2005-06 audit report, which identified inconsistencies in how the FPSC handled examination fees. The audit team explained that while the FPSC had indeed collected fees from candidates, the receipts were never fully reconciled with the national treasury. “The FPSC deposited the examination fees but did not obtain verification from the Treasury Department,” the auditors noted. As a result, Rs18.9 million remains unverified, constituting a violation of established government financial regulations.
Despite previous discussions involving the FPSC, the National Bank of Pakistan (NBP), and key government bodies such as the Finance Division and Establishment Division, the matter has remained unresolved. Officials stated that the reconciliation of receipts from thousands of bank branches was an administrative challenge, especially given that the records from 20 years ago are no longer available. FPSC representatives added that “the problems faced at that time have since been addressed,” suggesting improvements in the institution’s current financial practices.
In light of these findings, the PAC sub-committee directed that another Departmental Accounts Committee (DAC) meeting be convened to resolve the matter once and for all. The committee also ordered a progress report to be submitted after the meeting to ensure accountability and transparency in the follow-up process.
During the same session, the committee also reviewed audit paras related to the Ministry of Law. These included objections regarding alleged illegal appointments and the disbursement of Rs100 million to lawyers in the fiscal year 2007-08. The Law Secretary clarified that the amount in question had been transferred to the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) for its benevolent fund, emphasizing that the payment was legally and procedurally sound. “There was nothing illegal about the payment; it was duly processed through proper channels,” he stated.
However, a representative from the Finance Ministry told the sub-committee that the case had only reached them the previous day and assured the members that it would be examined thoroughly. Expressing dissatisfaction over weak representation from the Finance Division, Chairman Tariq Fazal Chaudhry announced that a formal letter would be sent to the Finance Secretary to ensure competent officers attend future sessions.
Following the deliberations, the PAC sub-committee instructed the Ministry of Law to submit a written response regarding the audit objections, after which the matter was considered settled.
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