The Sindh Assembly’s Public Accounting Committee (PAC) has revealed financial irregularities to the tune of a huge RS2.45 billion in funds allocated for food, medicine, clothing and furniture delivered to the provincial prisons. PAC instructed the provincial home secretary to conduct an investigation and submit a report within a month.

PAC, who met with his chairman Nisar Khuhro in the President, investigated audit reports from 2019 and 2020. Khuhro questioned the IG prisoners Qazi Nazir Ahmed about the contractors awarded bids worth multi -billions of rupees to have provided important things to prisons. He specifically asked about the quality of the three daily meals delivered to inmates and the procedures in place for quality control.

IG Ahmed explained that prisoners are served three meals a day in all prisons, and food quality is monitored by medical officers and judges. However, PAC was not satisfied with the prison authority’s explanations regarding the purchase of objects such as food, medicine, furniture and clothing, which were issued formal bids. As a result, PAC prison authorities instructed to involve officers from Sindh Food Authority to inspect the quality of food in various prisons, including Karachi Central Prison.

PAC also raised concerns about an unmatched RS8 million, allegedly used by Malir Prison. The prison authorities claimed that the money was spent for maintenance and fuel, but PAC asked for detailed items within 10 days of verification.

PAC member Khurram Karim Somro also questioned the security measures in Malir prison and raised concerns about a prisoner through a window despite the huge foundations awarded to prison reforms. The prison authorities could not give a satisfactory response to PAC regarding the incident.

Then PAC ordered an internal revision of all SINDH prisons to investigate these financial discrepancies and secure accountability.