Auditor General calls for stronger parliamentary scrutiny of state-owned companies

PRESS RELEASE
Department of the Auditor General of Pakistan
Islamabad, 12/11/2026
Auditor General calls for stronger parliamentary scrutiny of state-owned companies
The Auditor General of Pakistan, Mr. Maqbool Ahmad Gondal, has called on federal and provincial Public Accounts Committees (PACs) to ensure effective parliamentary scrutiny of government-owned companies and enterprises. He stressed that corporate autonomy must never become a shield against public accountability.
He was addressing a national workshop for chairpersons and members of federal and provincial PACs, organized by UNICEF Pakistan. Participants included the Chairman of the Senate of Pakistan, Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani, the Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives, Professor Ahsan Iqbal, representatives of AJK, GB and Punjab Assemblies, and the UNICEF Representative in Pakistan, Ms. Pernille Ironside.
The Auditor General noted the growing number of government-owned companies, particularly at the provincial level, whose external audits are entrusted to chartered accountancy firms. He urged PACs to examine their financial statements and audit reports regularly and to ensure corrective action. He cautioned that weak financial reporting and auditing can leave irregularities undetected and cause losses to the public exchequer.
He said accountability does not end when a budget is spent. It also requires asking whether public money was used economically and efficiently, and whether citizens received the services promised.
He outlined four reforms under way in the Department:
1.    Entity- and project-specific audit reports, giving Parliament a full picture of an organization’s financial management, governance and internal controls.
2.    PAC priorities built into audit planning, so that issues raised by parliamentary committees receive due attention.
3.    Data-driven auditing through the newly established Centre for Government Data Analytics, to identify unusual patterns, risks and irregularities.
4.    Timely reporting, with appropriation accounts and audit reports laid before Parliament by 30 June each year. The federal target has been met, and provinces were urged to follow.
The Auditor General also identified challenges facing PACs: delays in examining audit reports, limited technical and secretarial support, weak follow-up on recommendations, and loss of institutional memory when membership changes.
He underlined that mismanagement of funds for health, education, nutrition, and social protection directly affects vulnerable communities, especially children and mothers. He expressed the hope that the workshop would produce an actionable National PAC Action Agenda with clear priorities, responsibilities and timelines.
Issued by: International Relations & Coordination Wing, Department of the Auditor General of Pakistan
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