An audit report has found financial irregularities worth more than Rs. 222 billion in the Ministry of Communications during the fiscal year 2022-23.
According to the report, the irregularities involve cases of fraud, theft, recruitment, procurement, bank accounts, and other financial matters related to the ministry and its departments, including Pakistan Post.
Fraud, Theft, and Recruitment Cases
The audit report identified irregularities worth Rs. 48.8 million in 40 cases of fraud, theft, and robbery. Four cases related to recruitment involved irregularities of Rs. 2.73 billion.
The report said the Pakistan Postal Services was allowed to fill 3,938 vacant posts. However, 4,252 people were hired in grades 1 to 15 during the caretaker government’s tenure. According to the auditors, 314 of these people were recruited on political grounds, in violation of the rules.
Losses in Procurement and Bank Dealings
The report said five procurement cases caused a loss of more than Rs. 3.26 billion to the national exchequer. Unauthorized administrative dealings with a commercial bank caused a further loss of Rs. 20.85 billion.
Auditors also found that Pakistan Post opened more bank accounts than it was allowed to. Transactions worth Rs. 20 billion were made through these accounts.
In another case, the government suffered a loss of Rs. 492.5 million. The audit also identified recoveries of more than Rs. 3.74 billion in 11 different cases.
The largest share came from 15 other cases, which involved irregularities of more than Rs. 194.54 billion. The audit findings come weeks after Pakistan Post announced higher charges for postal services.
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