In response to news item published in a daily newspaper titled “Rs40b irregularities detected in PM’s Covid package”, it is clarified that the Covid related expenditure report was part of the overall audit report prepared by Auditor General office for FY2020, which has already been laid in Parliament.
As such the report is already in public knowledge.
The IMF had provided $1.4 billion last year as rapid financing instrument.
The Auditor General conducted a special audit of the Covid related expenditure. Audit of emergency procurements for Covid and its publication was thus a structural benchmark established under IMF review completed in March 2021. “
Auditor General of Pakistan will conduct an ex-post audit of the procurement of urgently needed medical supplies related to covid-19. Audit results will be published on the website of the Ministry of Finance.” The said structural benchmark was to be met by April 2021.
The Paras included in the Covid related expenditures report have already been discussed in the Departmental Accounts Committees meetings by the relevant divisions / organisations with the officials of the Auditor General of Pakistan.
