ISLAMABAD, June 22: Pakistani missions had committed irregularities worth Rs69.019 million in the purchase of luxury items and unauthorized payments, the ad hoc Public Accounts Committee was informed on Saturday.

The foreign audit department of the Auditor General’s office said these payments and purchases were made in violation of rules during the years 1999-2002.

Besides, unauthorized expenditures amounting to 63,033 pound sterling were incurred on irregular expenditures in London Parep (mission), SR12,4201.80 in Riyadh Parep (mission) and Dhs62,521 in Dubai Parep.

The committee, which completed its review of the special report on foreign mission accounts on Saturday, expressed its displeasure over the huge expenses incurred on the purchase of unauthorized items.

The meeting was attended by H.U. Baig and attended by members, senior deputy auditor general, AGPR, and senior officials of the foreign office, public works department (PPWD) and local government and rural development.

They discussed the special audit report on accounts of development funds released and spent on Peoples Works Programme 1993-97.

The committee noted with concern the massive irregularities in the PWP which was initiated during the tenure of the PPP government at a cost of Rs4,450.714 million.

The PAC chairman expressed concern over the abandonment of development projects with the change of governments. He stressed the need for a policy under which persons responsible for any irregularity might be taken to task, but the public welfare projects should not be left incomplete irrespective of the change of government.

A member pointed out that doubts about execution of the given 33,000 projects could not be more horrifying than the large number of development schemes. He said it was not possible that all these schemes had not been executed, since a chain of monitoring systems were in place.

The special report said Rs3,685.445 million was incurred on the execution of some 33,000 small development schemes during the period in review, while Rs765.269 million remained unutilized and subsequently was divided among the Pakistan Public Works Department (PPWD) and the local government. An amount of Rs460.955 million was spent on schemes other than the PWP or lapsed in the treasuries.

The department paid Rs44.667 million against pay and allowances of regular employees and work charge staff which the committee directed for regularization. The accounts record of an amount of Rs75.909 million was not available with the PPWD, and only Rs43.382 million had been traced out as spent on pay and allowances.