Pak top security agency urges 'mandatory' accounts committee meeting to probe ETPB irregularities

After Pakistan's Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) launched a probe into irregularities in the sale of urban properties by the Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB), the agency has urged for a "mandatory" convening of departmental accounts committee (DAC) to have a black and white picture of the asymmetries.

The FIA has written to the Auditor General of Pakistan (AGP) office seeking records of regarding the alleged irregularities mentioned in the AGP's report from the ETPB whose headquarters is in Lahore.

Quoting an FIA official, Dawn reported: "Some 1,800 files regarding the (ETPB) record of old city (Lahore) urban sub-units have been found missing."

He said the AGP's report served as a starting point of the agency's investigation as it would go for physical verification of the alleged irregularities committed by the board during the last several decades.

"In addition to the senior officials, the FIA will also quiz some former heads of the board regarding the sale of the properties during their tenure," he added.

Last week, Pakistan released the audit report of expenditures incurred on COVID-19, disclosing over Rs 40 billion irregularities in operations, The Express Tribune reported.

According to the report, the findings of the audit showed "misprocurement, payments to ineligible beneficiaries, cash withdrawal through fake biometrics and procurements of substandard goods by Utility Stores Corporation (USC) for consumption".

The office of Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP), a Pakistan federal cash transfer poverty reduction programme in Pakistan, has said that that "no irregularity" was committed during disbursements in relation to Ehsaas Emergency Cash and the contents of Auditor General of Pakistan (AGP) report "were misconstrued".

In a statement, BISP referred to media reports on the AGP findings and said "despite its massive operations both in terms of coverage and fiscal quantum in a context of strict lockdowns, audit observations/recommendations related to EEC were mainly of a technical and advisory nature."

( With inputs from ANI )