Sources in Auditor General of Pakistan (AGP) stated that 22 organisations have refused audit of their accounts by the AGP: Pakistan Telecommunication Limited (PTCL), Pak China Investment Company Limited (PCICL), Defence Housing Authority (DHA), National Bank of Pakistan, Agri Business Support Fund (ABSF), Punjab Industrial Estate Development and Management Company (PIE), Punjab Rural Support Programme (PRSP), Pakistan Ordinance Factories Welfare Trust Fund, Wah Noble Private Limited, Trust for Voluntary Organisation (TVO) and People''s Primary Health Initiatives (PPH Provincial Support Unit) Khyber Pakhtunkhwa; Frontier Works Organisation (FWO), KP-Employees Social Securities Institution, Lahore Parking Company Limited, Saudi Pak Industrial and Agricultural Investment Company Limited, Pak Oman Investment Company Limited, Pak Kuwait Investment Company Limited, Pak Iran Investment Company Limited, Pak Libya Holding Company Limited, Pak Brunei Investment Company Limited, Mari Petroleum Company Limited (MPCL) and Gun & Country Club Islamabad.
On September 8, 2015, in case of Defence Housing Authority (DHA) Lahore, the apex court ruled that all federal and provincial governments and departments are required to have their accounts audited by the auditor general. The claim of immunity from audit by 19 state institutions is against the Constitution, stated the Supreme Court in its verdict.
In another development, Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan and Punjab Agriculture and Meat Company (PAMC) have shown willingness to get their accounts audited.
The Auditor General of Pakistan has started the audit of the accounts of National Police Foundation, National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA), Punjab Land Development Company (PLDC), Punjab Power Development Company (PPDC), Punjab Coal Mine Company (PCMC) and Federal Board of Revenue (FBR).
Auditor General of Pakistan audited government funds released to the secret security agencies but this authority was withdrawn through invoking the AGP Ordinance in 2013. A former Auditor General of Pakistan told Business Recorder that under the 18th Constitutional Amendment it has now become the responsibility of the Auditor General of Pakistan to audit the accounts of all institutions. It is also clearly worded in Article 170 (2) of the Constitution that all such bodies which were established by the federal government shall be subject to audit.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2017