ISLAMABAD: An amount of Rs70.76 million collected from all over the country for a flood relief fund set up five years ago by former prime minister Yousuf Raza Gilani remains unspent.

Mr Gilani, following in the footsteps of his predecessors, had set up the fund in his own name in 2010.

According to official records available with Dawn, the account of the fund continues to exist, but no money has been drawn from it since it was set up.

When approached, an official of the cabinet division said he had little to say, but wondered if the account had not been touched.

“However, I can confirm that as of today the flood relief fund carries well over Rs70m in the account,” he said. In reply to a question, the official said the successive governments had failed to manage such funds.

He said he had no information where the money collected under the Qarz Utaro Mulk Sanwaro fund set up by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in the late 90s had gone. The drive was aimed at persuading people to donate generously so that Pakistan’s foreign debts could be paid off.

Prime Minister Sharif’s spokesman Dr Musadik Malik could not be contacted for comment why the present government also had failed to use the fund for the purpose it had been set up.

Published in Dawn, July 18th, 2015

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