Monday, August 26, 2013
FC’s use as private security inflicts Rs 183m loss on govt
By Tanveer Ahmed
ISLAMABAD: The audit authorities have unearthed Rs 183 million losses inflicted to national exchequer in the wake of deployment of Frontier Constabulary (FC) personnel for security of private individuals as well as government organisations.
The major loss to the national exchequer was identified in the audit report of the Auditor General of Pakistan for the audit year 2012-13 that emphasised the public money should not be utilised for benefit of particular person or a section of community.
In the first case, the audit report observed that the personnel of FC were deployed for security of retired government servants, MNAs and senators and pointed out that deployment cost was not recovered from these individuals.
From 2009 to 2012, an expenditure of Rs 46.082 million was incurred on the deployment of these personnel. The management of District office Frontier Constabulary Gadoon Khyber Pakhtunkhwa deployed their 110 personnel for security of private individuals.
The auditor general observed that deployment of FC personnel to private individuals at public expense was irregular and unauthorised and when inquired about it, FC management didn’t reply to it.
The audit report recommended that expenditure incurred for providing security to private individuals should be recovered and deposited into government account. ha ha ha!!!
In a similar case, the amount of Rs 136.986 million could not be recovered by FC Khyber Pakhtunkhwa for deployment of their troops on the security of various private and government organisations during, 2011-12, the audit report revealed.
Irregular purchase of arms from ISI: Auditor general unearthed financial irregularity in the accounts of FC when it identified that the organisation purchased Rs 17.575 million worth of arms from the Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) without open competition.
The management of inspector general FC Headquarters Peshawar paid an amount of Rs 17.575 million for purchase of arms from directorate general ISI during the year 2011-12. These arms include 18 AA Gun 12.7 mm, 35 SMG 7.62 mm Chinese and 17 mortar 60 mm.
Audit General however observed that the items were purchased without open competition and pointed out that supplier, ISI, was neither a manufacturer nor sole proprietor of the items purchased.
The major discrepancy was FC management also floated a tender for the purchase of SMG and received a bid from AYA Corporation for US $ 280 per unit that accounts to Rs 25,200 per unit. However the bid was not considered.
It may be mentioned here that same purchased from ISI cost Rs 45000 per unit, higher than the bid given by AYA Corporation.
Audit report observed that procurements made without open competition deprived the government of benefits of competitiveness rates.
It also mentioned that purchase of SMGS7.62 mm Chinese from ISI instead of the rate offered by AYA Corporation resulted in a loss of Rs 693,000 and held that the matter may be investigated and responsibility be fixed on account of irregularity.