Audit Finds Rs. 16.94 Billion in Irregularities in KP Minerals Department

A recent audit has uncovered financial irregularities totaling Rs. 16.94 billion within Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Minerals Department, Pakistan. The report, compiled by the Auditor General of Pakistan, highlights significant losses linked to illegal mining activities and unpaid debts. Illegal mining alone resulted in Rs. 8 billion in losses, the highest figure among the audit's findings.

Moreover, the audit revealed a staggering Rs. 4.31 billion in unpaid payments that authorities failed to recover from defaulting contractors. Uncollected dues from mineral leaseholders amounted to Rs. 810 million, while joint venture profits that remained undeposited totaled Rs. 580 million. Additionally, the audit discovered a loss of Rs. 140 million due to the charging of excessively low rents for government land.

These findings collectively underscore the province's challenges in collecting payments owed to it, as well as revenue losses stemming from unauthorized extraction and the improper use of public property. While the audit classifies these amounts as irregularities, it does not definitively determine whether the full sum was stolen or embezzled. The report's conclusion serves as a wake-up call to address these issues and restore financial integrity within the Minerals Department.