The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of the Balochistan Assembly has uncovered major financial irregularities in the Public Health Engineering (PHE) Department and key infrastructure projects during a recent meeting chaired by Asghar Ali Tareen.
According to Dawn News, committee reviewed a special audit report conducted in November 2022, which covered the financial years 2018 to 2021 for the PHE Department in Gwadar.
The report revealed that the department spent over Rs. 5.9 billion, but a significant portion of these expenditures remains unaccounted for in official records. The findings raised serious concerns over transparency and governance.
The PAC also noted multiple violations of procurement laws, including the improper use of over 1.43 million litres of diesel to supply water to Gwadar. Fuel was distributed to tankers without proper storage details or logbook entries, directly breaching official procedures.
Chairman Tareen called it an alarming example of institutional failure, adding that despite billions spent, the people of Gwadar are still deprived of clean drinking water. He announced that the committee will personally inspect the Mangi Dam site for an on-ground assessment.
During the meeting, the project director said the dam could be completed by December 2025 if funds are released without delay. Tareen said he would write to the chief secretary to expedite the process and warned of another audit if the project remains incomplete.