Lahore:
Serious financial irregularities from the tenure of former Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar have surfaced, as auditors revealed that the record of medicine purchases worth Rs422 million is unaccounted for.
According to the audit report for the fiscal year 2021-22, the Punjab Labor Department failed to produce complete documentation for the large-scale procurement of medicines. The Punjab Employees Social Security Institution (PESSI) provided only partial records, which auditors deemed insufficient to verify transparency in the purchases.
The audit officials have directed that responsibility be fixed on employees who failed to provide the required records.
Meanwhile, Chairman of Public Accounts Committee-II, Ali Haider Gilani, expressed dissatisfaction with the initial inquiry conducted by the Labor Department. He instructed the Secretary of Labor to reopen the investigation and ensure accountability.
Gilani stressed the need for a clear and transparent system for medicine procurement, emphasizing that without such reforms, the risk of irregularities and misuse of public funds will persist in the future.
