Top auditor unearths financial irregularities in Punjab's Daanish Schools

LAHORE: The Auditor General of Pakistan (AGP) has unearthed financial irregularities and fraud worth Rs11.39 billion in Punjab’s Daanish Schools and recommended the provincial authorities to immediately remove the responsible officers, ARY News reported on Tuesday.

The top auditor exposed the corruption worth over Rs11 billion in its three-year special audit report 2019-20, obtained by ARY News, regarding the Punjab government-run Daanish schools. The report has been handed over to the Punjab government.

The report stated that violations of Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA) rules and the usage of substandard material in the development projects have been detected, whereas, serious financial irregularities worth over Rs5.74 billion in 73 cases were also unearthed during the audit.

The administration of Daanish Schools had been found involved in financial fraud worth Rs5.1 million. It emerged that the administration awarded the contract for meal and transportation of the admitted schoolchildren approximately 3 per cent more than its actual cost.

Moreover, Daanish Schools’ former managing director (MD) Zahoor Hussain had neglected PPRA rules and merit during his tenure. The schools’ administration has not only given financial dent to the national exchequer in term of service delivery issues but the records of daily expenditure were not provided. The audit report further stated that the infrastructure of the schools is poor as records were not being maintained.

The AGP recommended the provincial government to take legal action after removing the responsible persons from their positions.