Corruption remains a core issue in Pakistan, as evidenced by over 1.5 billion rupees being misappropriated through dubious transactions in the nation’s overseas embassies, missions, and official offices.
A report by the Auditor General disclosed that corruption at the Pakistan Hajj Mission in Jeddah involved approximately 75 million rupees. An official at the mission was found to have illicitly transferred 11.25 million rupees from government funds to personal accounts. Additionally, over 20 million rupees intended to sustain Hajj assistants were misused.
Further scrutiny of cash receipts from the Hajj mission exposed embezzlement totalling more than 3.4 million rupees. The mission’s account officer was implicated in the fraudulent handling of 7.8 million rupees designated for Hajj expenditures, including falsifying bank statements and transaction records.
Moreover, irregular transactions involving 10 million rupees were identified in procuring gifts and furniture for the Pakistan Mission in Germany. These transactions lacked proper documentation and direct payments to the ambassador in Berlin, bypassing standard procurement procedures.
The Pakistan Mission in Wellington also reported a financial discrepancy, incurring a loss of 9 million rupees due to the upkeep of an unused residential property. Similarly, around 100 million rupees went unrecorded at the consular seat in Germany.
