Dark clouds loom large over Imran Khan's fourth year amid graft accusations

The report on "expenditures incurred on COVID-19 by the federal government" has shown irregularities in government interventions to ensure the availability of essential food items

"Dark clouds of corruption" are looming large over Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan's fourth year following the recent audit report on the country's COVID-19 expenditure that unveiled massive financial irregularities and distribution of food unfit for human consumption.

The report on "expenditures incurred on COVID-19 by the federal government" has shown irregularities in government interventions to ensure the availability of five essential items -- sugar, wheat flour, oil and ghee, pulses and rice -- in Utility Stores at subsidized rates.

A report published in Al Arabiya Post said this scandal, exposed by the government's own auditor general, is a clear case of stealing public money meant for helping the needy and medical staff struggling to deal with the aftereffects of a pandemic.

The stolen amount, worth billions of Pakistani rupees, could be several times bigger as the Imran Khan government has refused relevant papers to the government audit body. The report added that this was perhaps Pakistan PM's biggest scandal.

What makes the report even more damning is that the International Monetary Fund (IMF) pressured Imran Khan government to disclose expenditures on the COVID-19 relief package for audit.

This was released after six months of pressure from the International Monetary Fund. The report exposed misprocurement, payments to ineligible beneficiaries, cash withdrawal through fake biometrics and procurements of substandard goods for consumption.

This COVID scandal is another blow to Pakistan Prime Minister's anti-corruption image, according to the Al Arabiya Post. According to the Post, Imran Khan has been slowly but inevitably getting drawn into the corruption net as the Panama Papers leakage showed early this year.