Lawmakers were told that the Federal Public Service Commission (FPSC) has exam fee receipts worth Rs 18.965 million that are still not matched with the federal treasury.
Old receipts remain unmatched
Audit officials said the problem is not new. It first appeared in the audit report of 2005 to 2006 and relates to exam fees collected in 2004 to 2005.
According to the auditors, the FPSC did deposit money. However, it did not obtain official verification from the Federal Treasury Office.
As a result, the receipts cannot be reconciled with national accounts.
The subcommittee, chaired by MNA Tariq Fazal Chaudhry, called this a serious gap in financial discipline.
FPSC says records are missing
Meanwhile, FPSC representatives explained why the reconciliation has been difficult.
They said that fees came in from thousands of bank branches and that records from twenty years ago are no longer available at many locations.
They added that the problems of that time have been fixed and that current collections are reconciled on schedule.
Even so, audit officials reminded the meeting that rules required verification then and that the rule still applies now.
Therefore, the FPSC must continue to work with the National Bank of Pakistan and the Finance Division to find any remaining documents.
Committee orders a fresh meeting and a progress report
The subcommittee directed the departments to hold another meeting of the Departmental Accounts Committee. The aim is to close the gap with a clear plan and dates.
All concerned offices must attend with updated bank statements and any proof of deposit.
The subcommittee also asked for a written progress report after the meeting.
In addition, the chair expressed concern over weak participation from the Finance Division and said a letter would be sent to the Finance Secretary to ensure that competent officers attend future reviews.
These steps are meant to turn a long standing objection into a time bound solution.
