Pak to probe graft in poverty alleviation scheme

The Pakistan government will investigate alleged cases of financial mismanagement and corruption in the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP), a flagship poverty alleviation scheme.
Enver Baig, head of the BISP, discussed the proposed probe with National Accountability Bureau (NAB) chief Chaudhry Qamar Zaman this week, the Dawn newspaper reported today.
Instances abound of violation of public procurement rules, induction of employees on the basis of personal whims, poor book-keeping and flouting of procedures for the use of public money, the report said.
The misuse of authority forced the current management of the programme to get the matter investigated by the NAB.

"The magnitude of financial mismanagement and corruption have forced us to enlist NAB's help. We will use its technical expertise for investigation and bring the culprits to book," said a BISP official privy to the meeting between Baig and Zaman.
The official said the BISP management decided to approach NAB to sift through evidence which, according to preliminary findings, made clear that financial irregularities were committed.

Although government auditors pointed out unlawful spending and in some cases financial fraud in the BISP, "we decided to go for a third party probe to fix individual responsibilities", the official said.
The BISP was established by the Pakistan People's Party-led government in October 2008. An amount of Rs 165 billion has been spent, of which some 85 per cent came from the government exchequer.

Baig is a former leader of the PPP who quit the party after he was sidelined by Asif Ali Zardari.