Ministry of Foreign Affairs, attached departments: Irregularities worth Rs 332.51 million detected

The Auditor General of Pakistan (AGP) has detected financial and procedural irregularities to the tune of Rs 332.510 million in Ministry of Foreign Affairs and its attached departments in its audit report for the year 2015-16. According to the report available with Business Recorder, key audit findings revealed violations of rules by Ministry of Foreign Affairs, unauthorised payments, recoverable amount, lack of internal control, irregular expenditure, excess payments, misappropriation and other violations committed by MOFA.
Out of Rs 332.510 million, recovery of Rs 44.495 million was effected during July 2014 to December 2015. The total recoverable amount of Rs 332.510 million was not in the notice of the executive before conducting the audit, it says. The auditors found that violation of rules was noted in eight cases of Rs 276.185 million, unauthorised payments were made in four cases of Rs 34.121 million, recoverable amount was pointed out in six cases of Rs 37.696 million and loss pointed out in 06 cases; Rs 64.752 million.
It was also found that lack of internal control was observed in two cases of Rs 50.355 million, irregular expenditure incurred in two cases of Rs 16.635 million, excess payment was made in three cases of Rs 12.157 million misappropriation in one case and other in two cases of Rs 146.167 million.
The audit authorities recommended ensuring that the procedural lapses detected during test audit are taken as the indicators to determine all other identical cases for remedial and corrective actions under intimation to audit. Streamline the procedures, strengthen Internal Controls and ensure prompt recovery of Government dues, crediting the amount into government treasury, it further recommended.
It also recommended to take necessary steps to evaluate, institute and strengthen the management, budgeting and accounting controls to achieve the following objectives. Adherence to the regulatory framework and canons of financial propriety which require public officers to exercise the same vigilance in respect of expenditure incurred from public money as a person of ordinary prudence would exercise in respect of expenditure of his own money, it says.
AGP recommended that the MOFA should ensure that PCW&EF and FIGOB are utilised for the intended purpose and resolve the deviations pointed out and ensure that the DAC meetings are held promptly to resolve audit issues and appropriate directives are issued to avoid repetition of identical irregularities in future.
Follow general principles of financial propriety as discussed during the proceedings of DAC held on 19.01.2015. On the observation of audit, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has taken strict notice of non-adjustment of advances and has communicated that if the advances remained unadjusted, it would be considered inefficiency on part of the official concerned and will be recorded in one's dossier. Further MOFA has adopted a policy that an official will not be posted abroad, if outstanding advances and paras are not settled. PAO has also issued instructions to all Pakistan Missions abroad that in case of any violation of PPRA rules, the HOM, HOC and Accountant will be held personally responsible and strict disciplinary action will be taken against them. PAO has also issued instructions for enhanced interaction with audit. The Ministry has also agreed to the audit of FIGOB and other works, which was not being facilitated earlier. Another major impact has been the Ministry's will and effort to re-visit the old rules in order to revise them to keep up with changing times.