PML-N led govt didn't approve 93pc grants from parliament: Report

ISLAMABAD: A recent report by the Auditor General of Pakistan has revealed that the PML-N led coalition government did not approve 93% of grants from parliament during its tenure, ARY News reported.

According to the report, the Auditor General has declared the 93% of supplementary grants in the financial year 2022-23 as “irregular”.

The report stated that the government did not seek parliament’s approval for supplementary grants worth over Rs 8 billion.

The Auditor General has recommended that the supplementary grants should be presented in the National Assembly in accordance with the Constitution.

The report also suggested implementing the Supreme Court’s decision regarding the presentation of supplementary grants in the National Assembly.

READ: DISCOs incurred over Rs196b loss to national kitty: Report

The report earlier revealed that the power companies caused over Rs196 billion to the national exchequer in one year.

According to the Auditor General of Pakistan’s audit report for 2023-24, eight power companies have incurred losses exceeding the stipulated limit, resulting in a massive loss of national kitty.

The report highlights that the power companies’ losses exceeded the limit set by NEPRA, ranging from 8.84% to 20.16%. PESCO topped the list, causing a loss of Rs133 billion, followed by SEPCO (Rs19 billion and 17 crore), LESKO (Rs14 billion and 954 crore), FESCO (Rs6 billion and 29 crore), MEPCO (Rs3 billion and 80 crore), and GEPCO (over Rs2 billion and 87 crore).

The report attributes the excessive losses to old transmission lines and long feeders. The power companies’ inability to meet the stipulated limit has resulted in a major financial burden on the national exchequer.