ISLAMABAD: The Sub-Committee of the Standing Committee on Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety has issued formal reference letters to the Auditor General of Pakistan (AGP) for a special audit of Pakistan Bait-ul-Mal (PBM) and to the director general of Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to directly take over the matter in the event of non-cooperation by PBM management during the audit, and to register an FIR against responsible officers if complete records are not provided within 30 days.
The Sub-Committee of the Standing Committee on Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety held its meeting on Thursday under the chairmanship of its Convener Senator Rubina Qaim Khani, to review PBM’s compliance with binding directives issued on October 10, 2025, April 16, 2026, April 30, 2026, and May 13, 2026.
The department and the committee agreed on a special audit and, accordingly, in exercise of its powers under Rule 183 of the Senate Rules of Procedure, 2012, and having granted the department a final opportunity, the convener issued formal reference letters to the Auditor General of Pakistan (AGP). The AGP has been requested to conduct a special audit of PBM covering excess promotions (315 promotions beyond the lawful quota, causing a loss of Rs190 million); illegal promotions of 191 officers (2018-2023); illegal advance payments of Rs60 million and total procurement violations amounting to Rs145 million; unauthorised back benefits of Rs190 million; illegal upgradations based on misinterpretation of Finance Division Office Memoranda; an appointment based on a counterfeit MBA degree (verified by the HEC); tampering with official records and concealment of approximately 70 stop-gap engagements by HR officers and misuse of authority and financial impropriety.
Owing to these irregularities and the loss of more than Rs1.015 billion to the government exchequer, it is the poorest citizens who are suffering the most. The FIA has been requested to directly take over the matter in the event of non-cooperation by PBM management during the audit, and to register an FIR against responsible officers if complete records are not provided within 30 days.
Despite the lapse of more than seven months and five meetings, the PBM management has failed to submit any compliance report, and no action has been taken regarding the reversal of illegal promotions, recovery of unlawful financial benefits or implementation of Supreme Court judgements. Furthermore, the internal inquiry into procurement irregularities initiated in June 2025 was not finalised.
The Pakistan Bait-ul-Mal management stated: “Who submits a report on affidavit? Therefore, it is not possible for the management to state on affidavit that no irregularities or corruption occurred, nor that nepotism, favouritism, or systemic corruption took place, and that all matters were conducted in accordance with principles and laws.”
