The SAI Pakistan is the permanent Secretary General of Economic Cooperation Organization’s Supreme Audit Institutions (ECOSAI). ECOSAI is a regional forum of Supreme Audit Institutions of South and Central Asian Countries, which are members of Economic Coordination Organization (ECO). 

The SAI Pakistan also participates in the professional activities within the group of Commonwealth Auditors General.  It is also a member of U.N Panel of External Auditors and Commonwealth Auditors General Conference. The Auditor-General of Pakistan also serves as Director of the ICGFM. 

B:  Audit of International Organizations

The SAI Pakistan served on the UN Board of External Auditors from 1961 to 1976.  It also remained the External Auditor of the Preparatory Commission of Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons from 1993 to 1997.  It also served the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons as External Auditor from 2003-2005. On different occasions, the Auditor General of Pakistan has also undertaken external audit of regional organizations like Organization of Islamic Conference, Jeddah, South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation, and Economic Coordination Organization.    Currently, the Auditor General of Pakistan is the External Auditor of United Nations Industrial Development Organization for the biennium 2008-09 and 2010-11.

C: International Training and Capacity Building Activities

The AGP’s organization benefits from the training courses organized by the INTOSAI Development Initiative (IDI), ASOSAI and ECOSAI. It also contributes towards international collaboration in the field of auditing. To remain in touch with the international best practices, the officers of the SAI Pakistan have regularly participated in Fellowship programmes of the General Accounting Office of the U.S, programmes of the Canadian Comprehensive Auditing Foundation Canada, as well as workshops, seminars, and training programmes organized by the INTOSAI, ASOSAI, ECOSAI, the National Audit Office, UK, Chinese National Audit Office, the World Bank and the IMF.

The SAI Pakistan is also one of the leaders in offering training opportunities to SAIs fraternity. During the last 25 years, around 250 participants from 32 countries have received training under various training programmes offered by the SAI Pakistan.  Some of the international courses offered by the SAI Pakistan are listed in the IDI Directory of courses. 

D: Towards International Standardization

The Department of the Auditor General of Pakistan is fully geared to the adoption of international professional standards. It has adopted INTOSAI Auditing Standards and Code of Ethics. Since the Financial Statements of the Government of Pakistan are prepared on the format of cash basis International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS)- Financial Reporting Under the Cash Basis of Accounting- except for consolidation of accounts of state owned enterprises, the Department of the AGP has developed sufficient capacity over the years to plan and undertake audit of IPSAS based Financial Statements.

E: International Events Organized by SAI Pakistan in 2009

(a)  The XI ASOSAI Assembly and 4th Symposium

The Auditor General of Pakistan hosted the XI ASOSAI Assembly in Islamabad from Oct 9 – 15, 2009.  The congregation is held every three years in one of the 45 member countries of ASOSAI. Held first time in Pakistan, the Assembly, preceded and followed by the 40th and 41st ASOSAI Governing Board meetings respectively, was attended by 136 delegates from 34 countries. The proceedings were inaugurated on Oct 12, 2009 by the Chairman, Senate. The Secretary General of INTOSAI, representatives of INTOSAI Development Initiative (IDI), also graced the occasion. 

With the hosting of the XI Assembly, the SAI Pakistan assumed the Chairmanship of ASOSAI for the next three years (2009-12) - a privilege the country has received for the first time. As outgoing Chairman in 2012, Pakistan will continue its membership of the ASOSAI Governing Board for another three years.

The 40th Governing Board meeting of ASOSAI named SAI Pakistan as ASOSAI’s nominee to the Governing Board of INTOSAI. The SAI Pakistan was further honored when an independent Board consisting of India, Sri Lanka and Philippines declared Mr. Tanweer Ahmed, a senior officer of Pakistan Audit & Accounts Service (PA&AS), as the author of the best article, published in Asian Journal. He was presented with a memento by the Chairman, ASOSAI, in recognition of his outstanding contribution.

The XI ASOSAI Assembly sessions were punctuated with the 4th Symposium on the theme of “The Role of SAIs on the Effectiveness of Public Expenditure”. Mr. Muhammad Anwar, Deputy Auditor General (APR&SD) made the keynote address to the Symposium followed by special reports by the SAIs of Sri Lanka, Kazakhstan and Vietnam. Panel presentations by SAIs Bhutan, Malaysia, Pakistan and Russia succeeded the special reports. An open discussion followed the panel presentations.