LAHORE: The Auditor General of Pakistan (AGP) provincial offices are all set to start a forensic audit of the Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) headquarters in Lahore from May 3.

“The forensic audit is being launched in light of the orders of the Supreme Court of Pakistan. The first audit was launched last year on the orders of the federal government,” said an ETPB official while talking to Dawn on Thursday.

The Auditor General’s (Functions, Powers and Terms and Conditions of Service) Ordinance, 2001 read with articles 169 to 171 of the Constitution of Pakistan provides for the auditor general of Pakistan with the mandate to audit the accounts of the federal government and any authority or body established by or under control of the federal government.

“An audit team, headed by Mr Zulfiqar Ali Nasir (Deputy Director), has been assigned to conduct the forensic audit of the ETPB. The audit team will start the field work with effect from May 3,” reads a letter written to the ETPB Lahore administrator by the Directorate General Audit.

PIEDMC: The board of directors (BoD) of the Punjab Industrial Estates Development and Management Company (PIEDMC) on Thursday approved awarding the contract for the development works at Quaid-i-Azam Business Park Sheikhupura for Rs8.49bn.

“Previously, the contract for these development works was awarded at for Rs15bn. But the present board saved about Rs6.5bn by utilising its technical experience and ensuring transparency by fully implementing the PPRA rules,” said the board chairman while presiding over a board meeting.

The board approved Rs2.9m for third-party validation of the Quaid-i-Azam Solar Park Bahawalpur and Rs11.8m for CCTV surveillance system operations and maintenance.

It also approved Rs35.7m for access road from the National Highway to Bahawalpur Industrial Estate, Rs1.9m for consultancy services for drainage of stagnant water in the Bhalwal Industrial Estate, Rs1.8m for purchase of tools for the Vehari Industrial Estate and Rs2.8m for consultancy services for design and master planning of the Chunian Aqua Park.

Published in Dawn, April 30th, 2021