ISLAMABAD The interior division's accounts show irregularities worth Rs400 million, according to an audit report presented in the National Assembly.
According to the report, most of the mismanagement was related to its wing issuing arms licences — about Rs223 million could not be reconciled.
During 2007-2008, the ministry issued 44,558 new arms licences and received Rs222.98 million as fees. Audit officials said they could not verify that the amount paid through challans had actually been credited to government account.
During the departmental audit committee meeting held in March this year, the ministry was asked to produce a reconciliation report. However, no such statement was provided till July.
The report said, the concern was shared with the interior ministry officials in June last year and it was suggested that arms licences should only be issued after verifying that fees had been deposited with the treasury office concerned.
In the absence of proper reconciliation of receipts, risk of arms licences being issued against fake challans was very high, it said, adding that if the practice continued, the government would lose a significant amount.
It is worth mentioning here that during the current financial year, the interior ministry again saw unauthorised issuance of arms licences and FIA booked three of its section officers in the scam.
During physical inspection of the interior ministry in November last year, Rs1.046 million in cash was found missing as per records shown on the cash book.
The ministry's version was that money had been spent to meet departmental expenditures.
A review of the record indicated that the money was spent on irrelevant purposes. During the DAC meeting it was decided that shortage of the cash would be made up, but until July this year no progress was made.
According to the report, the Islamabad Capital Police, which works under the administrative control of the interior ministry, had refused to transfer Rs32.5 million which it had received against licence, parking and vehicle checking fees.
The audit officials also objected to the use of money by ICT officials without the finance division's prior approval, a stipulation agreed to by the capital police. It is yet to comply.
The audit officials found unauthorised payment of Rs42.44 million to Nadra on account of CNIC verification charges. The report said the amount was paid over and above the contract price.
According to the report, the ministry had paid Rs94.87 million for the purchase of 500 kanals of land by the Northern Areas Scouts. However, the land is still in litigation and the money was paid on an undertaking given by an individual.
Buying of stocks worth Rs9.2 million without inviting tenders, fraudulent withdrawal of Rs3.07 million, unauthorised payment of residential telephone bills of Rs1.4 million and irregular payment of Rs2.136 million have also been reported in the 2008-2009 audit report.
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