PTI’s white paper on Sindh govt’s performance reveals financial irregularities of billions

The Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) on Wednesday issued a white paper on the performance of the Sindh government based on the report of the auditor general of Pakistan (AGP) for the period between 2017-18.

The AGP’s report for the period of 2017-18 highlighted financial irregularities worth trillions of rupees in multiple government departments of both federal and provincial governments.

PTI MPAs in the Sindh Assembly, Khurram Sher Zaman, Halim Adil Sheikh, Dr Seema Zia and others, held a press conference today to brief the media about the findings of the white paper that focused on the financial irregularities of the Sindh government.

Zaman, the president of PTI’s Karachi region, said that the AGP report had revealed financial irregularities of up to Rs11 billion in Sindh’s health department and Rs11.5bn in the finance department. Irregularities of billions of rupees were also revealed in other departments including the Works and Services Department.

“Bhutto’s city [is facing] an outbreak of AIDS, because of [the family’s] theft,” he alleged.

Zaman further alleged that Excise, Taxation and Narcotics Control Minister Mukesh Kumar Chawla “opened numerous alcohol bars” and said that the PPP MPA will have to answer for the corruption of billions of rupees. Zaman said that financial irregularities of more than Rs35bn had been detected in the Excise, Taxation and Narcotics Control Department.

He declared that the white paper will be submitted to the National Accountability Bureau and the Anti-Corruption Unit as “evidence of corruption”. He also appealed the chief justice to take notice of the matter.

Zaman complained that AGP’s reports are never highlighted and added that PTI has urged the provincial assembly’s speaker to hold a debate on it as per the rules.

“Every MPA is prepared. We will tell the House how the public’s money was looted,” he said.

The PTI leader also called for a review of the 18th Amendment, saying: “Who will answer for the misuse of funds given by the federal government?”

Zaman claimed that the government does not provide financial records to the AGP despite multiple reminders.