LAHORE, May 29 (Alliance News): A special audit has uncovered major irregularities in the Punjab Services and General Administration Department (S&GAD), where government vehicles were allocated in violation of official policies, resulting in a loss of more than Rs9.09 million to the provincial treasury.
According to the audit report for fiscal year 2022–2023, several government vehicles were assigned to officials not entitled to them under the 2008 transport policy.
The policy clearly defines vehicle entitlements based on official rank and designation, yet numerous junior officers and those on special assignments were found using vehicles beyond their grade entitlement.
In several cases, the allocated vehicles exceeded the permissible engine capacity, leading to excessive spending on fuel, maintenance, and repairs. This unauthorized use collectively caused an unjustified expense of Rs9,095,063, the report revealed.
Auditors attributed the losses to weak internal controls and administrative negligence within the department. Despite initial audit observations shared in August and September 2023, the department failed to submit a response. Reminders were issued, but no substantial reply or corrective measures were taken.
Although a Departmental Accounts Committee (DAC) meeting was held on January 31, 2024, only some of the audit concerns were addressed. No further meetings have taken place since, and the department has made no visible progress in resolving the remaining issues.
This incident mirrors a prior audit from 2017–2018, which highlighted similar misuse of official transport and led to losses amounting to Rs20.10 million. The recurrence of such violations points to ongoing systemic failures and a deep-rooted lack of institutional accountability.
The audit report strongly recommends a comprehensive investigation into the misuse, disciplinary action against those responsible, and urgent reforms to the vehicle allocation system. The findings also stress the need for transparent oversight and compliance with policy guidelines to prevent future financial damage to the public exchequer.
