ISLAMABAD: The auditor general of Pakistan (AGP) on Monday sought financial and administrative autonomy for his office saying being a subordinate department to the Finance Division it has to compromise on various issues.

“The office of the auditor general is not independent,” the AGP said this while speaking at the first ever meeting of the audit policy board.

The policy board comprises representatives of all relevant stakeholders including professional accounting bodies and civil society organisations, heads of federal government departments like Finance Division, Controller-General Accounts, Federal Board of Revenue, State Bank of Pakistan, Planning Commission and Additional Secretary of Public Accounts Committee (PAC). The Auditor General of Pakistan Rana Assad Amin chaired the meeting.

According to the statement issued by the auditor general office, the chair also highlighted some major challenges to the Supreme Audit Institution (SAI), Pakistan for the promotion of accountability. Externally, the independence of SAI Pakistan is compromised as it is subordinate to Finance Division and is treated as an ordinary service delivery department instead of a supreme accountability agency.

Published in Dawn, August 2nd, 2016