Auditor General of Pakistan (AGP) has unearthed misuse of vehicles in the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) and its field offices and termed the act of corruption in violation of staff car rules and monetisation policy. Sources told Business Recorder here on Wednesday that the FBR has taken serious notice of the report of the Director General Audit, Inland Revenue (North) Lahore titled, 'Corruption and blatant misuse of govt. vehicles and funds allocated for POL and repair in FBR (Hqs) and its field formations'.
It is claimed in the report that some retired senior tax officials have used official vehicles of the FBR and such cases have been taken up by the Audit with the FBR. Sources said that the Audit department has taken notice of the misuse of vehicles in the FBR (HQs) as well as in field offices, and termed misuse of field vehicles in violation of staff car rules and monetization policy as corruption. The Audit observation, contained detail of misused vehicles, vehicle No, description of vehicle and name of the Officers to whom the vehicles were allotted/used alongwith audit comments on each vehicle for reply of the audit observation. The FBR has directed all relevant officials to reply to audit observation in consultation with the concerned field offices and furnish within a week by adding the reply against each vehicle.
A comprehensive and satisfactory reply may be provided to the FBR for onward submission to audit to avoid printing of the audit observation, for Public Accounts Committee (PAC) consideration, sources added. As per audit observations, according to Section 182 of the Customs Act, 1969 when some goods are confiscated under Customs Act, they shall be forthwith vest in the federal government provided that the Board may authorise the use of confiscated vehicles for operational purposes or with approval of the Board, its subordinate offices. The term "Operational vehicle" is defined in rule 2(vii) of the Rules for the Usage of Staff Cars, 1980 as a motor vehicle used by the staff of a technical department for operational duties. Further rules 2 (vii) of the Rules/Policy for Monetization of Transport Facility for Civil Servants (BS-20 to BS-22), issued by Cabinet Secretariat (Cabinet Division) vide No 6/7/2011-CPC dated 12-11-2011 (effective from 1st January 2012) provides that no officer of BS-20 to BS-22 will be entitled and authorised to use project vehicles or the Departmental operational/ General duty vehicles for any kind of duty. However, they may be allowed the facility to avail the departmental operational/General Duty Vehicles in cases they have to undertake official/local/outstation inland country tours subject to approval of the competent authority/ the PAO Rule (ix) provides that the PAO shall obtain a certificate from each officer that he/she is not in possession/using any project or department operational/general duty vehicle.
During review of record made available to audit with reference to complaint of corruption and blatant misuse of government vehicle and funds allocated for POL and repairs & maintenance in FBR and its field formations, audit observed that the confiscated (tempered or non tempered) and govt owned vehicles were being used by officers of (BS-20 to BS-22) to whom vehicles were allocated under the vehicles Monetization Scheme or were being paid under the said scheme.
Moreover, the Tax Administration Reform Project (TARP) vehicles were used by Project Director and other officers/staff despite closure of project since January, 2012, audit said.
Audit observed that the retired officers retained the official vehicles and not returned on retirement. TARP vehicle (GV 540) was being used at FBR (HQ) as reported by MCC Gwader but the same was neither owned by Second Secretary (Transport) FBR (HQ), nor Second Secretary (Projects) DPMIE (FBR) which shows misuse of vehicle. Audit objected that the vehicles of field formations in use of officers posted at FBR (HQ) were not counted for at Car Pool of FBR (HQ) to control their usage.
There are number of general duty vehicles, besides protocol duty, available at the strength of FBR (HQ) then issuance (by name) and use of vehicles of field formations/confiscated vehicles by officers at FBR (HQ) is not justified, Audit said.
Four luxury vehicles of 2982 CC to 4663 CC were shown for General/Protocol Duty in Regional Office (Director) of I&I Lahore The confiscated vehicles and vehicles of closed project of TARP were allocated to officers of FBR (HQ) who do not perform operational/touring duties and also drawing conveyance allowance or payments under monetization of vehicles.
Audit said that certain information/record was not provided to Audit despite repeated requests and visits of FBR (HQ), Islamabad. Audit asked the FBR to look into the matter and either justify the position or take action against the officers responsible for misuse the government vehicles/funds.
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