Auditor General of Pakistan has pointed out non-achievement of annual targets of “China-Pakistan Economic Corridor Support Project” which cost Rs 70.18 million and recommended that responsibility over the failure be fixed and position be also clarified to the audit.
Sources well-aware of the matter informed Pakistan Today that AGP (Auditor General of Pakistan) has revealed non-achievement of the annual targets of “China-Pakistan Economic Corridor Support Project” and recommended to the Ministry of Planning Development & Reforms to clarify the position in this regard. They said total expenditure of the said project incurred during 2014-15 and 2015-16 was Rs 33.736 million and Rs 36.444 million respectively.” Audit is of the view that the benefit of the expenditure incurred during 2014-15 and 2015-16 were not achieved therefore, the expenditure cannot be treated as useful,” sources said.
Sharing details of the audit para, the sources further said that audit has observed that there was no any monitoring/evaluation report from the project wing of the ministry about the activities and performance of the project. Also, management did not produce any record showing that PMU (Project Monitoring Unit) had prepared any progress report, annual work plan, disbursement profile or any procurement plan.
Ministry of Planning Development & Reforms got approved a development Project “China Pakistan Economic Corridor Support Project” at a cost of Rs 467.680 million on September 30, 2015 with the completion period 39 months. The project started its activities on March, 2014. The objectives of the projects were to establish and strengthening China-Pak Economic Corridor in the ministry for overall coordination and implementation of project activities in coordination with the line ministries. And, reporting on the progress of each component, prepare annual work plan for the following year, annual funds required for implementation and updated disbursement profile and updated procurement plan was the responsibility of the PMU.
On the other hand, a spokesman of Ministry of Planning Development & Reforms, Asim Khan Niazi when contacted, said the cost of all above activities was not necessarily paid from the annual budget allocations made for this project. For instance, for the official meetings between Pakistan and China where all the ministries, government functionaries, provincial governments are involved, the cost on the individuals is born by the concerned organization (s). However, in some cases, where the ministry being focal ministry on CPEC, hosts some event, it bears the cost on arrangements and logistics, he said.
Asim Khan further said same parameters are followed for the monitoring of this project as are observed to monitor all non-development projects under PSDP across the country. Whether its routine monitoring on day to day, weekly progress or monthly progress reviews are concerned, it follows the same standard operating procedures which are applicable for any non-development and support projects of the similar nature and type, he added.
“Not even a single time, its budget or audit reports were skipped since its execution. All financial record and audit reports are maintained just like any other non-development and support project”, Asim Niazi said.
About the project, he said the CPEC Support Project aimed to coordinate between the Chinese stakeholders and the line ministries, government functionaries, provincial governments and other non-government stakeholders from Pakistan. This away, office of the CPEC Support Project acts as the secretariat for coordinating activities of stakeholders within Pakistan those required to be carried about between the two sides, Pakistan and China.
