ISLAMABAD, Mar 6: Auditor General of Pakistan Manzur Hussain said on Wednesday that Rs8.346 billion were recovered from various ministries and departments pointed out by the Audit Department in its reports.

He stated this while launching the first-ever 63-page annual performance report of the department of the last 54 years.

Deputy Auditor General (Senior), Chaudhry Muhammad Ilyas, Deputy Auditor General, Javed Akhtar Sheikh and Muhammad Mohsin were also present on the occasion.

Briefing newsmen about the performance of the department, the Auditor General said “we have planned to introduce cyber-accountability, to cover high-profile area audit, system-based audit, impact evaluations and information technology for ensuring good governance of development projects.”

The report is devided into seven chapters, which highlights the challenges and issues being faced by the office of the Audit Department in accountability process.

To establish credibility of the audit process, he said a number of changes were made in the department by introducing new sections and areas, including the creation of “Website” to make audit reports public with all possible information about the department and irregularities.

Manzur Hussain said: “We have evolved a strategy to improve audit methodology, resource utilization and effectiveness of the audit process by benefiting from information technology”.

The AG pointed out the significance of accountability issues in the area of financial governance, legislative oversight and audit.

To introduce a corruption-free culture, he emphasised to take stern steps for transparent financial system aimed at saving billions of rupees being misused, embezzled, misappropriated annually in various ministries and divisions.

He called upon Principal Accounting Officers of the ministries to cooperate with audit department in this regard.

He stressed the need for citizens to appreciate that it was the department of Auditor-General which was required by mandate to report on the proper use of public money through an established mechanism. The release of annual report of the audit department would be made a permanent feature every year.

About the importance of the report, he said the main purpose of the report was to serve information needs of the stakeholders besides reflecting performance of the Pakistan Audit Department.

Inviting attention to the constitutional status of his department, he informed about the role of the department in helping the legislature to oversee working of the executive as well as assisting the executive in ascertaining the status of implementation of their plans through 28 Field Audit Offices, spread over the country.

It was pointed out that during the year 2000-01, the Field Audit Offices carried out audit covering a total of Rs1,048 billion pertaining to revenue receipts and expenditures of the federal and provincial governments.

The department facilitated recovery of a total of Rs8.346 billion. This was in addition to the amount placed under objection. A total of 836 reports were issued during the year.

“The department started working with other accountability agencies to combat corruption systemically so that not only are recoveries made but those responsible brought to justice,” he stated. A monitoring mechanism regarding implementation of PAC’s directives was also put in place.

To a question about the explanation given by Chuadhry Shujaat Hussain for the use of official vehicles, he said, “I was not present in the meeting when this issues came under discussion.”

Responding to the question, Deputy Auditor General (Senior), Chaudhry Muhammad Ilyas said that the Audit Department prepared the audit report on the basis of documents provided by FIA and the ministry. “We will submit a reply to Public Accounts Committee immediately in this regard,” Chaudhry Ilyas said. —APP