https://twitter.com/home https://www.facebook.com/Shabbir.Hussain191By Shabbir Hussain
ISLAMABAD, Jul 14 (Alliance News): The Auditor General of Pakistan (AGP) has raised serious concerns over the utilisation of Rs75 billion released under the Sustainable Development Goals Achievement Programme (SAP), citing the absence of essential records required to verify how the funds were spent.
According to the latest audit report, the lack of project-wise documentation, completion certificates and progress reports has made it impossible to determine whether the development funds were utilised for their intended purposes.
The report states that the Cabinet Division released Rs75 billion during the 2024-25 fiscal year to federal ministries, provincial governments, departments and executing agencies for development projects aimed at improving infrastructure, promoting human resource development and supporting balanced regional growth, particularly in underdeveloped areas.
However, auditors found that complete records regarding the utilisation of the funds were not available.
The audit noted that the Cabinet Division failed to obtain monthly progress reports from the executing agencies and did not provide project completion certificates, preventing auditors from assessing whether the approved schemes were implemented successfully.
The report further stated that project-wise and area-wise details were also unavailable, making it impossible to verify whether the funds were distributed equitably across provinces and regions in line with the objectives of the Sustainable Development Goals Achievement Programme.
According to the AGP, the absence of basic documentation has raised concerns about transparency, accountability and monitoring of the development programme.
The audit report said that, based on the available record, it could not determine whether the allocated resources were utilised fairly or whether the projects achieved their intended development outcomes.
The matter was formally taken up with the Cabinet Division on November 5, 2025, but the audit report noted that no response had been received from the relevant authorities by the time the report was finalised.
In its recommendations, the Auditor General called on the Cabinet Division to establish a comprehensive centralised monitoring system to maintain project-wise, sector-wise and area-wise records of all development schemes funded under the programme.
The report also recommended strengthening oversight mechanisms to improve transparency, accountability and effective monitoring of future development expenditures.
The findings underscore the importance of maintaining proper documentation and monitoring systems to ensure public funds are spent efficiently and in accordance with approved development objectives.
