SIALKOT: The Punjab government is seriously considering a proposal regarding special audit of the local bodies’ institutions in Gujranwala Division’s six districts, including Sialkot, Narowal, Gujrat, Mandi Bahauddin and Hafizabad, before the massive reshuffle of the officials concerned.
According to senior officials, the special audit team would soon take all the official record of bills of all the development, non-development and contingency funds of the said local bodies institutions before starting the special audit in a bid to detect financial embezzlement, frauds, corruption and malpractices, if any. Funds to the tune of billions of the rupees were spent during the last several years in the local bodies. The government is reorganising the local bodies system in Punjab and intends to ensure transparency of these funds through their special audits.
In Gujranwala Division, the special audits of six district governments and 21 TMAs would be conducted by checking all the vouchers of the development, non-development and contingency funds. The files of contractors would also be checked thoroughly.
A senior official said that stern legal action would be taken against the corrupt officials if they were found guilty in corruption or financial embezzlement during the said special audits.
The senior officials added that the Punjab government had already issued special directives to all the administrators of the city district governments, district governments, Tehsil Municipal Administrations (TMAs) and union councils across Punjab, especially in Gujranwala Division, to keep their financial matters updated and be ready for the said special audit of their funds.
