- The subsidy agreement was signed on September 16, 2022.
- The amount was intended for the purchase of articles for flood victims.
- Use of funds for other unjustified purposes.
Islamabad: with Pakistan continues to face adverse repercussions of climate change, it has been revealed that the subsidy of $ 3 million received from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) for the victims of the 2022 flood of Pakistan was diverted by the rehabilitation of victims of Turkiye and Syria earthquake, The news reported on Wednesday.
The dissemination was held during a meeting of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) chaired by Junaid Akbar Khan when the agency examined the audit paras of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and the Ministry of Communications for the financial years of 2022-23 and 2023-24.
The audit report revealed that the RS552.599 million subsidy for the purchase of articles for flood victims deviated towards the rehabilitation of victims of Turkiye and Syria.
The $ 3 million subsidy agreement was signed on September 16, 2022 for the 2022 flood emergency response in Pakistan. The NDMA obtained winter stores and blankets outside the ADB subsidy during financial year 2022-23 for people affected by Pakistan floods.
However, the NDMA audit for the financial year 2022-23 revealed that it was observed that, in contravention of the provisions of the subsidy agreement and the established purposes, the tents and winter blankets of the ADB subsidy were sent for the victims of flooding of Pakistan to the two countries mentioned.
The subsidy was specifically destined to the provision of life preservation services to the communities affected by the flood of the 2022 Monzón; Therefore, the use of the subsidy for other purposes was not justified, depriving the victims of the flood.
The management replied that the elements of relief (campaign stores, blankets) acquired from the ADB subsidy had to be diverted to the population of Turkiye affected by the earthquake, Syria, due to the very strict line of operating time of relief given by the prime minister and had also recovered, resumed for the subsidy of the purpose.
In a DAC dated February 26, 2025, DAC was informed that NDMA sent articles to help the catastrophic areas of the people in the directives of the Prime Minister, so there were no unauthorized issuance problems of flood relief articles. The Committee has sought a report on this issue within a month.
