By Naveed Butt
Copyright brecorder
ISLAMABAD: A sub-committee of the Senate Standing Committee on Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety disclosed that 129 ineligible employees of the Pakistan Bait-ul-Mal (PBM) were promoted without approval, while only 29 promotions were falsely reported to the panel.
The sub-committee summoned the Managing Director of Pakistan Bait-ul-Mal and the Secretary for Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety to its next meeting to answer the committee’s questions.
The sub-committee also directed Pakistan Bait-ul-Mal to submit details of all procurements made in other provinces.
The sub-committee, chaired by Senator Rubina Qaimkhani, met at Parliament House on Wednesday to review appointments, promotions, and other financial irregularities in the Pakistan Bait-ul-Mal.
Senator Rubina pointed out that 129 employees were promoted without proper approval, but the committee was misinformed with a figure of only 29 promotions.
The sub-committee, while expressing serious reservations over the information submitted by the Pakistan Bait-ul-Mal, stated that the given information didn’t address the concerns highlighted by the Sub-Committee.
Senator Jan Muhammad pointed out the vacant positions of Balochistan and Sindh provinces in the Pakistan Bait-ul-Mal. He stated that only 114 seats have been filled against the 460 seats of Balochistan, and the same is the case with the Sindh province, where only 151 seats were filled against the 434 sanctioned seats.
Senator Rubina Qaimkhani, while pointing to the perks and privileges enjoyed by the Personal Staff Officer (PSO) of the Managing Director of Pakistan Bait-ul-Mal, noted that a car with unlimited fuel had been provided to the officer. She stressed that the organisation must ensure financial discipline in its spending, reminding that its foremost responsibility is to support vulnerable families.
Highlighting financial irregularities in the procurement of sewing machines and wheelchairs in Balochistan province, as reported by leading newspapers, officials of Pakistan Bait-ul-Mal informed that a committee has been constituted to investigate the matter, and a report will be submitted before the committee once it is concluded.
The sub-committee regretted that funds meant to help vulnerable and disabled families had not been utilised as intended, calling it a matter of shame. It directed Pakistan Bait-ul-Mal to furnish details of procurements made in all other provinces.
The sub-committee directed the Bait-ul-Mal to provide all the information addressing the questions raised by the sub-committee within two weeks.
The meeting was attended by Senators Jan Muhammad, Dost Ali Jeesar, and other senior officials of the Pakistan Bait-ul-Mal.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
