Staff Reporter
MULTAN: Startling financial discrepancies, unverified claims, and massive irregularities running into millions of rupees have surfaced in the multi-billion-rupee Police Welfare Funds, as documented in audit observations raised by the Auditor General of Pakistan (AGP). The findings reveal severe breaches of financial governance, raising serious questions over the transparent distribution of welfare grants intended for lower-ranking personnel and families of martyrs.
According to audit observations, commercial assets under police management—including dedicated fuel stations, service centers, and leased shops—failed to reflect actual commercial earnings, incurring massive losses to the welfare kitty. Crucially, hefty amounts disbursed under medical reimbursements were released on unverified private hospital bills without mandatory endorsements from authorized medical boards. Furthermore, disbursement records for educational scholarships and wedding gifts lacked final payee acknowledgments, authentic supporting dockets, and verified legal certifications.
The audit findings further highlighted that police authorities routinely evaded external scrutiny by labeling the kitty a “non-public fund.” Additionally, billions parked across commercial banks bypassed statutory finance department guidelines regarding competitive profit bidding, depriving the force of legitimate revenues. Despite repeated warnings and strict instructions from the provincial Public Accounts Committee (PAC) for independent chartered accounting audits, internal inquiries remain stalled, leaving hard-working field constables stranded while privileged corridors mismanage welfare resources.
