ISLAMABAD: An audit review has revealed that officials of the Ministry of Religious Affairs spent Rs1.302 billion during 2012-13 without maintaining the required cash book, prompting concerns within the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) over financial oversight and accountability.
The disclosure was made during a meeting of a PAC subcommittee chaired by Shahida Begum, where audit officials questioned how such a substantial amount could have been spent without a corresponding cash book being maintained.
According to audit officials, the ministry’s records showed that Rs1.302 billion was spent during 2012-13, but the cash book for the expenditure was not prepared or properly maintained. They termed the issue a serious matter and noted that ministry officials were now proposing to reconstruct or update the relevant record.
The Secretary of Religious Affairs, however, told the committee that there had been no corruption in the matter and that the issue concerned the failure to keep the cash book updated.
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Committee member Bilal Mandokhail said ministry officials had requested that the matter should not be viewed as evidence of corruption. Audit officials, however, expressed surprise that the cash book, which should have been updated in 2013, was still being addressed years later.
The audit authorities stressed that those responsible for the lapse must be identified and held accountable.
The Secretary said the officials responsible for failing to maintain the cash book had already been identified. However, he acknowledged that, as had happened in the past, the previous authorities had shown leniency towards those responsible. He added that the only remaining option was now to prepare and update the cash book record.
The subcommittee chair directed the relevant authorities to submit a report on the matter within one month. She also instructed the audit authorities to verify the issue and submit
