Saraiki Inqilabi Council Chief Muzaffar Hussain Magassi has urged upon the parliamentarians to discuss the report of the Auditor General of Pakistan in the assembly session and taking the responsible persons to task who had embezzled or wasted billions of rupees and said that irregularities of Rs 132.225 billion in different ministries and departments were detected and government incurred a loss worth Rs 4.14 million due to investment in the stock exchange in violation of the prime minister's instructions.
Talking to newsmen here on Tuesday Magassi said the officials of some departments did not observe the General Financial Rules, while spending public funds placed at their disposal and acted upon the verbal orders of their superiors. While the Oil & Gas Development Company Limited (OGDCL) unnecessarily purchased a liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) plant causing a loss of Rs 576 million and misappropriation of funds in buying electric poles by the Water and Power Ministry cost Rs 39.685 million. Undue advantage worth Rs 1,244 million had been also allowed to a contractor by Water and Power Ministry. Non-recovery of standard rent from unauthorised occupants by the Housing and Works Ministry caused a loss of Rs 89.3 million. Muzaffar Hussain Magassi asked whether we are living in the land on no law where revenues of Rs 1063.543 million were lost due to non-initiation of timely proceeding.
Tax fraud by issuance of fake invoices caused a loss of Rs 1,213.79 million. Other losses include fraudulent drawl of sales tax refund worth Rs 20,000 million; non/short-realisation of sales tax, additional tax and penalty worth Rs 1,352.008 million by the Federal Board of Revenue, inadmissible refund of sales tax worth Rs 140.002 million by the FBR and encroachment of 102 kanals of the Capital Development Authority land by a private housing scheme worth Rs 71.4 million.
He said that Public Accounts Committee (PAC) should take notice of expenditures on account of pay and allowances of employees charged the Public Works Department in excess of the permissible limit of Rs 160.1 million set by the Water and Power Ministry. Non-recovery of water charges from the residents also caused a loss worth Rs 158.4 million. Non-retrieval of 20,000 acres of land cost Rs 100,000 million to the Housing and Works Ministry.
Another loss of Rs 12.742 million was incurred on the account of short recovery of the Railways' dues owing to irregular adjustment in school fund, unauthorised expenditures worth Rs 48.481 million due to an increase in two existing allowances and authorising additional allowance. Unwarranted procurement of imported vehicles cost Rs 16 million to the Communication Ministry. Non-taxation of commission/interest income under normal law cost Rs 9,453 million. Muzaffar said that Southern Punjab would be a developed zone if this wasted amount was spent on the development of this zone.