QUETTA: The Public Accounts Committee of the Balochistan Assembly revealed huge financial mismanagement within the provincial finance department.
The committee reported that Rs1.4 billion allocated for the fiscal year 2021-2022 went unutilised.
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This raised huge concerns about the inadequate budgeting practices and operational inefficiencies within the department.
During a session chaired by Asghar Ali Tareen, the committee examined the finance department’s performance.
The Balochistan Finance Secretary, Babar Khan, informed the committee that while 2,000 new positions have been created in the country’s largest province for the current fiscal year, 7,000 vacant positions were eliminated.
The move is part of an effort to streamline government operations, but is has also drawn attention to the broader issue of resource allocation and management.
Committee member, Zabid Ali Reki, was frustrated over the unspent funds. He stated that such financial negligence represented a huge disservice to the province’s underprivileged communities.
“Not utilising such a significant amount of money on time is an injustice to the poor people of Balochistan”, he stated.
Balochistan, while rich in natural resources and largest province in the country land-wise, has struggled with budgetary constraints and incompetent governments one after another.
It is also one of poorest provinces in the country, with corruption rife in almost every sector.
The inability to utilise allocated funds effectively exacerbated the region’s socio-economic issues even more. It hinders development projects and public welfare programmes.
The province has long been characterised by high poverty rates and limited access to essential services.
In response to the findings, the Public Accounts Committee ordered to suspend additional allowances for employees across various government departments.
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The committee called for terminating the collection of Rs129 million in unauthorised allowances in an attempt to curb financial irregularities and improve accountability within the provincial administration.