A special audit by the Auditor General of Pakistan (AGP) has uncovered serious financial and procedural irregularities in the Ten Billion Tree Tsunami Programme, highlighting mismanagement of over Rs5.2 billion in public funds during the 2019-2022 period.
According to media reports, the audit revealed significant failures in planning and execution, particularly in Punjab, where key wildlife conservation initiatives were either delayed or abandoned.
Projects such as the Ara Basharat National Parks, Model Wildlife Park, and Namal Lake restoration showed no progress, while the reintroduction of black bucks in Cholistan and the construction of pheasant pre-release pens also failed to materialize.
Of the allocated Rs5.623 billion, only Rs375.561 million was spent, with the audit identifying unauthorized procurement of equipment, including IR professional cameras and transformers, as examples of financial mismanagement. Funds intended for critical wildlife conservation efforts were redirected to unplanned purchases.
The report also highlighted procedural violations, such as the arbitrary relocation of the Geographic Information System (GIS) Node from Gujranwala to Sargodha without proper approval. Multiple deviations from the approved PC-I provisions were carried out without securing the necessary clearance from the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC).
The Departmental Accounts Committee (DAC), in a meeting held on June 22, 2023, rejected departmental justifications and called for an investigation into these irregularities. It demanded accountability for unauthorized deviations and the mismanagement of funds.
The audit report described the programme’s shortcomings as a major setback to wildlife conservation in Punjab and a significant waste of public resources. It recommended an immediate inquiry into the mismanagement, accountability for non-compliance with approved plans, revisions to project documentation through ECNEC, and the introduction of stricter monitoring mechanisms to prevent future lapses.
