The former Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) premier, Sardar Tanveer Ilyas, has used additional grants and secret funds that were five times the budget approved by the legislative assembly of AJK, The Friday Times (TFT) has learned.
In his letter to Secretary Finance AJK, Chief Secretary AJK Dr. Usman Chachar stated that it has come to his knowledge that extraordinarily huge amounts of funds were drawn as supplementary or additional grants after financial concurrence was given by the finance department.
The official letter with subject financial concurrence for abnormally huge amounts in supplementary grants further stated that these additional/supplementary budgets, which are almost five times the budget approved by the assembly, have been approved by the department.
How has the former PM misused funds?
The official document stated that the glaring example is that of the prime minister's secretariat budget, in which, against an approved budget of Rs 199.9 million, an additional/supplementary budget of Rs 750.5 million was concurred/drawn.
As per the official document, the major additional amount relates to the secret services fund, for which the original budget is Rs 20 million but an additional supplementary budget of Rs 605 million was concurred and withdrawn.
"This excess has been drawn in for about three-quarters of the year, and the fourth quarter has just started," the official document reads.
The chief secretary was ‘unaware’ of it.
In his letter, chief secretary Dr. Chachar also mentioned that the above transactions were never brought to his knowledge, even during discussions on financial issues and constraints faced by the government of AJK.
"Such a significant additional budget with huge amounts involved should have been brought to the knowledge of the chief secretary as it has multifarious implications for the government and its working," Dr. Chachar stated.
The chief secretary asked the finance secretary to provide details.
The chief secretary AJK also directed the secretary finance AJK to provide a detailed account of these drawings, the demand presented to the finance department, the process adopted under the rules, etc., for the above matters, as well as indicate any other department or office where such huge amounts in significant excess of budget have been presented or concurred.
In his letter to Secretary Finance AJK, Chief Secretary AJK Dr. Usman Chachar stated that it has come to his knowledge that extraordinarily huge amounts of funds were drawn as supplementary or additional grants after financial concurrence was given by the finance department.
The official letter with subject financial concurrence for abnormally huge amounts in supplementary grants further stated that these additional/supplementary budgets, which are almost five times the budget approved by the assembly, have been approved by the department.
How has the former PM misused funds?
The official document stated that the glaring example is that of the prime minister's secretariat budget, in which, against an approved budget of Rs 199.9 million, an additional/supplementary budget of Rs 750.5 million was concurred/drawn.
As per the official document, the major additional amount relates to the secret services fund, for which the original budget is Rs 20 million but an additional supplementary budget of Rs 605 million was concurred and withdrawn.
"This excess has been drawn in for about three-quarters of the year, and the fourth quarter has just started," the official document reads.
The chief secretary was ‘unaware’ of it.
In his letter, chief secretary Dr. Chachar also mentioned that the above transactions were never brought to his knowledge, even during discussions on financial issues and constraints faced by the government of AJK.
"Such a significant additional budget with huge amounts involved should have been brought to the knowledge of the chief secretary as it has multifarious implications for the government and its working," Dr. Chachar stated.
The chief secretary asked the finance secretary to provide details.
The chief secretary AJK also directed the secretary finance AJK to provide a detailed account of these drawings, the demand presented to the finance department, the process adopted under the rules, etc., for the above matters, as well as indicate any other department or office where such huge amounts in significant excess of budget have been presented or concurred.