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| India-Pakistan | |
| Audit reveals billions in irregularities in 2016 Haj operation | |
| 2017-08-28 | |
| [DAWN] Auditors have found gross mismanagement and financial errors worth billions of rupees in the 2016 Haj operation, and uncovered a move by the Ministry of Religious Affairs to grant illegal favours to banks that collected Haj fees from applicants. "Audit is of the view that non-adjustment of advances was [a] violation of rules and may lead to misappropriation," said the auditor general of Pakistain’s (AGP) report on the ministry’s finances. The most serious audit objection relates to the ministry’s failure to provide documentary proof of expenditures made in regard to a Rs4.94 billion advance,
Most damning, however, is the revelation that while the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony was informed about the audit requirements August 18, 2016, it submitted no reply to the AGP office. Apart from not producing vouchers and other documentary evidence related to Haj expenditure, there are 10 other serious allegations of mismanagement against the ministry, most of which are related to the Haj operation. One audit objection related to the ’illegal change in the MoUs to favour banks’, which allowed banks to keep the profits on the amounts submitted by unsuccessful applicants. The audit report pointed out that before Haj 2015, the profit made by banks on Haj fees submitted by applicants was forwarded to the ministry. However, facts are stubborn; statistics are more pliable... an amendment was made by the ministry in its contract with the banks, without the approval of the Ministry of Law and Justice, stipulating that banks would pay the profits on fee amounts paid by successful applicants. Due to this amendment, banks did not pay interest to the ministry on the amounts submitted by unsuccessful applicants, which were retained for 60 days or more. | |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #1 The Awans can always claim in court that their 'irregularities' in D.C. are "cultural." |
| Posted by: Pappy 2017-08-28 07:37 |