- Home
- Pakistan
- Balochistan Assembly's PAC identifies serious irregularities in UoB's financial, administrative affa ..
Balochistan Assembly's PAC Identifies Serious Irregularities In UoB's Financial, Administrative Affairs
Faizan Hashmi Published December 18, 2024 | 11:09 PM
The Balochistan Assembly's Public Accounts Committee (PAC) identified serious irregularities in the financial and administrative affairs of the University of Balochistan's (UoB)
QUETTA, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 18th Dec, 2024) The Balochistan Assembly's Public Accounts Committee (PAC) identified serious irregularities in the financial and administrative affairs of the University of Balochistan's (UoB).
Chaired by Asghar Ali Tareen here Wednesday, the meeting of the Committee reviewed the appropriation accounts of Balochistan University for the fiscal year 2019-2021 and the audit paras for 2022.
The meeting was attended by Fazal Qadir Mandokhail, Rehmat Saleh Baloch, Secretary Assembly Tahir Shah Kakar, Vice Chancellor of Balochistan University Zahoor Bazai, Director General Audit Balochistan Shuja Ali, Additional Secretary PAC Saraj Lehri, Additional Secretary Law Saeed Iqbal, Additional Secretary Finance Department Yasir Hussain, Director Finance Balochistan University Saleh Muhammad Kasi, Deputy Director Finance Balochistan University Nasir Marri and Chief Accounts Officer PAC Syed Idrees Agha.
The Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee said that our future was linked to universities and knowledge. He expressed concern about seeing university teachers protesting for their salaries.
He added that Balochistan University needed special attention and there was an urgent need to understand its issues and take action to resolve it.
The Vice Chancellor revealed that the University of Balochistan was ranked fourth in the country in 2018 and was ranked 247th in the world.
He further disclosed that in 2016, the Endowment Fund was misused and individuals who were not qualified were sent abroad for higher degrees, as many of them fled after going abroad and remain missing.
The Vice Chancellor informed the Committee that the University struggles with paying pensions to 900 retired employees each month due to limited income.
He mentioned that the average fee of Rs 32,000 was collected from each student per semester, which was quite reasonable.
The introduction of BS programs led to an increase in admissions in colleges, while the number of students in the University decreased. He also reported a reduction in the Higher Education Commission's financial grant.
Furthermore, he explained that the university has 1,450 employees, with a monthly salary bill of 280 million rupees.
The committee instructed the university administration to generate its own income, as it is an autonomous institution. It was also clarified that the university should recover Rs 22.
876 million from residential employees for house rent allowance and maintenance costs, as per the rules.
Additionally, the committee ordered strict action on the distribution of 370 laptops in 2013-14, as out of these, 341 laptops were given to students, while the remaining 29 were given to university officials, which was against the rules.
The Committee decided that the laptops were intended for students, and now the officials should refund the amount. The amount will be deducted from their salaries and pensions for the same month.
The Committee expressed strong dissatisfaction that PAC decisions are often taken to the syndicate instead of being implemented.
The Chairman made it clear that strict action would be taken against the concerned officials if such complaints arise in the future.
It was revealed during the meeting that at the end of every financial year, several Vice Chancellors used to visit vacant land at the university and ordered the construction of buildings in any empty space.
This wasteful spending and mismanagement have led to Balochistan University facing a deficit, and now employees are not receiving their salaries, causing them to protest on the roads.
Meanwhile, these teachers should be in classrooms, but they are suffering. The Chairman emphasized that PAC's efforts are focused on resolving the financial issues of universities.
Asghar Ali Tareen also mentioned that in previous tenures, Vice Chancellors recruited hundreds of officers and employees, including their relatives, in their final days, and the new Vice Chancellors continued to protect them.
The committee also discussed the matter of 65 teachers who were sent abroad for education, but 13 of them did not return and acquired foreign citizenship.
The committee instructed that the guarantors of these teachers should be held accountable and all expenses recovered, with cooperation from FIA and NADRA.
Qadir Mandokhail suggested that an FIR should be filed against the guarantors.
Rehmat Saleh Baloch mentioned that besides the Higher Education Commission (HEC) and other sources, the Government of Balochistan also provides a substantial grant to Balochistan University, yet the university continues to face financial difficulties, which is concerning.
The Chairman emphasized that full implementation of the PAC's orders should ensured.
