The World Bank (WB) has advised Pakistan to improve its accountability and auditing system as the donor agency fears misappropriations in the process of a rapid economic growth, providing the government enough fiscal space to spend more money than ever before.
"With new dams being built and new road links being established involving a lot of spending on part of the government, the chances of misuse of the public money are more imminent," World Bank Country Director John W Wall said here on Wednesday.
Wall was addressing a two-day workshop organised by Public Accounts Committee (PAC) in collaboration with the WB. The workshop aimed at exploring new ways and means to enhance the capacity-building of accountability process in Pakistan.
"What we need is a strong accountability and auditing system to check misuse of money," he added.
"People can have a good value of their money if those who spend it are made accountable and auditable," the WB country director argued. In Wall's view, institutionalising and strengthening the accountability was the only way to help sustain and carry forward the momentum of the growth, Pakistan's economy had gathered lately. "A strong accountability and auditing system is a must for good governance to win the public trust," he said.
The advice came within a week of doubts expressed by the WB about the extent of power of judiciary in Pakistan. Earlier, in his welcome address PAC Chairman Malik Allah Yar Khan highlighted the way an accountability process was spearheaded by the committee.
He admitted Pakistan lacked proficiency the developed countries have over the time developed to run the accountability system effectively. Allah Yar Khan, however, claimed of some improvement in this regard.
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