QUETTA: Balochistan Public Accountability Committee PAC has uncovered a major financial scandal involving the purchase of oxygen cylinders during the Corona pandemic.
An audit revealed that cylinders were bought for Rs40,000 each, despite a contracted rate of only Rs537 per cylinder. This single irregularity caused a loss of 1.342 million rupees to the national exchequer. The situation raised further suspicion because all the purchase quotations were written in identical handwriting, pointing to potential collusion.
The Public Accounts Committee (PAC), chaired by Asghar Ali Tareen, expressed severe frustration with the Health Department’s repeated delays and lack of preparation. The committee was reviewing a special audit of a Rs10.44 billion budget.
Having already given the department a chance in a previous meeting, the PAC issued a final, one-week ultimatum. It directed the Health Department to produce all original records and agreements.
The committee warned that if the department fails to comply within a week, the case will be referred to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) or other anti-corruption agencies for a formal investigation.
In another similar probe, the Balochistan Public Accounts Committee (PAC) grilled officials, over massive financial mismanagement and the failure of the Quetta Safe City project, revealing that 600 of its 800 cameras are inactive.
PAC Chairman Asghar Ali Tareen showed serious concern over an allegedly illegal contract worth Rs. 2.280 billion issued to the Special Communication Organization (SCO). He slammed the bureaucratic approval process, stating, “The rules were thrown in the trash. Instead of approval from the cabinet, the bureaucracy only took approval from the Chief Minister.”
The committee unanimously condemned the contracting process, calling for the abolition of “drawing room type contracts” that bypassed procurement rules.
