Public Accounts Committee raps NBP over failure to recover public funds

• Orders recovery action; notes Karachi, Lahore, Quetta top zones with least recoveries• Rs1.25bn fraud, forgery cases reported to SBP during ZTBL audit

ISLAMABAD: The Public Acc­ou­nts Committee (PAC) of National Assembly on Wednesday expressed dismay over the management of the National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) for its lack of interest in recovering public funds involved in multiple financial irregularities.

According to the auditor general’s office, the NBP failed to recover Rs27.85 million from one of its executive vice presidents despite the lapse of four years.

When asked by the lawmakers to suggest appropriate action, the fina­nce secretary recommended penalising those responsible within NBP’s management. However, PAC members directed NBP President Rehmat Ali Hasnie to file a recovery suit and submit a compliance report to the committee within 15 days.

The PAC was discussing audit briefs of the finance division for the years 2023-24.

During deliberations on briefs related to the regional directorate of National Savings, the committee members expressed displeasure with the ministry over the loss of records of cases dating back to the 1970s and 1980s. Non-recovery or write-off of amounts lost due to dacoity and embezzlement at various centres in the Sukkur region had cost the government Rs6.377m, while another two cases involved losses of Rs47.43m.

The members also voiced serious concern over FIA officials for their lack of awareness about the cases. The PAC directed that a letter be written to the FIA director general to ensure that well-prepared officers are deputed to brief the lawmakers.

The AG Office informed the meeting that incidents of dacoity, embezzlement, fraud and forgery had occurred at different National Savings Centres in the Karachi region over a span of four decades.

Members regretted that these substantial amounts would ultimately have to be written off.

While discussing financial irregularities relating to the Zarai Taraqiati Bank Limited (ZTBL), the committee was informed that losses caused by an increase in Special Asset Management (SAM) defaulters and poor recovery had cost the exchequer Rs9.179 billion.

Zones with worst recoveries

The meeting was told that during the audit of ZTBL for 2022, the number of SAM defaulters rose from 196,930 in 2021 to 221,736 in 2022, while the default amount increased from Rs44.464bn to Rs53.64bn. This was attributed to recoveries falling short of targets by Rs9.179bn. In addition, 1,601 SAM defaulters did not pay a single penny, and three zones — Quetta, Karachi and Lahore — recovered only 16 per cent of the outstanding amount.

The committee was further informed that cases of fraud and forgery amounting to Rs1.25bn were reported to the State Bank of Pakistan during the ZTBL audit for 2022. Members were told that employees were involved in these cases through the use of fake land documents and that management had failed to recover the misappropriated amounts.

Published in Dawn, February 26th, 2026

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