QUETTA, Dec 27 (APP):The Balochistan Assembly’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has ordered the Deputy Commissioners (DCs) of Gwadar and Dera Bugti to deposit the billions of rupees laying unused in dormant accounts into the government treasury.
The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) meeting, held here on Friday under the chairmanship of Asghar Ali Tareen has expressed concern over financial irregularities and the misuse of public funds by the Deputy Commissioners of Gwadar and Dera Bugti. The meeting was attended by PAC members Zareen Khan Magsi, Fazal Qadir Mandokhail, and Zabid Ali Reki.
The officials including DG Audit Balochistan Shuja Ali, Secretary of the Board of Revenue Nasrullah Jan Tareen, Additional Secretary PAC Siraj Lehri, Chief Accounts Officer PAC Syed Idris Agha, Additional Secretary Law Department Sayed Iqbal, DC Gwadar, and other officers from the Assembly Secretariat were also attendedthemeeting.
During the meeting, the DG Audit revealed that the Deputy Commissioner of Gwadar was managing 50 bank accounts, with billions of rupees being inactive or unused.
In response, the Deputy Commissioner of Gwadar explained that more than one billion rupees had already been deposited into the government treasury and the process to deposit further funds into the government treasury was underway.
He further explained that more than 14.5 billion rupees in unnecessary funds from the Deputy Commissioner of Gwadar’s accounts had been left unused, but following the PAC’s directive, 6 billion rupees had already been deposited into the government treasury.
The committee emphasized that the funds allocated for the land compensation, which are illegally held by the Deputy Commissioners, should be deposited back into the government treasury within six months, unless the rightful landowners are paid their dues.
The DC of Gwadar mentioned that there are 1,137 landowners, and they would be paid as soon as they claim their due amounts.
The committee also instructed that public advertisements should be published in major newspapers within two months to encourage those who have not received their compensation amount to come forward and claim their funds. “If no claims are made, the funds will be transferred to the government treasury.”
The Deputy Commissioner of Dera Bugti attended the meeting virtually. The DG Audit reported that an account under the Dera Bugti administration held 25.82 million rupees, which had been inactive for several years.
The Chairman PAC directed that these funds should be immediately deposited into the government treasury, and long-standing financial irregularities be rectified.
The committee demanded immediate action on cases where heirs have failed to present succession certificates for over nine years. The Chairman emphasized that heirs should obtain these certificates from the courts to ensure the rightful recipients receive their dues.
The PAC disclosed that 50 accounts under DC Gwadar’s administration hold Rs 14,532.294 million in unused funds and 23 inactive accounts contained 3,705.536 million rupees, 3 dormant accounts held 14.197 million rupees.
The committee also informed that 1 inactive account under the DC Dera Bugti held 25.820 million rupees, which had remained unused for several years.
PAC instructed Deputy Commissioners to submit detailed reports on the use of funds within two months to the PAC Secretariat.
Deputy Commissioners should compensate the rightful landowners and transfer billions of rupees from unnecessary accounts into the government treasury,it added.
The meeting highlights PAC’s commitment to ensuring financial transparency and accountability in public administration, despite decades-old issues in areas like Gwadar and Dera Bugti.
