PAC orders blacklisting of eight NGOs
The decision came during a PAC meeting on Tuesday, chaired by Nisar Khuhro, with committee members Khurram Karim Soomro, Makhdoom Fakhar-uz-Zaman, and Taha Ahmed in attendance, alongside Planning and Development Secretary Sajjad Abbasi and other officials. The meeting reviewed audit paras from 2019 and 2020 related to the Planning and Development Department.
Officials disclosed that 16 NGOs received funding in 2018 for health, skills development, and education projects. However, eight of them have not submitted any audit documentation.
PAC Chairman Nisar Khuhro directed the Social Welfare Department to cancel the registration and licenses of these NGOs.
During the session, another issue surfaced involving SRSO, which reportedly charged 8-10% interest on Rs10,000 micro-loans given to widowed and impoverished women in 100 union councils across Kashmore, Jacobabad, and Shikarpur - despite funds being allocated as interest-free under the UC-Based Poverty Reduction Programme. A letter submitted by SRSO's CEO acknowledged the interest but claimed it was mistakenly documented in the minutes, clarifying that loans were issued through village organisations.
The PAC ordered a fact-finding probe into this alleged malpractice.
Separately, the PAC was informed that SRSO had not yet returned Rs380 million in interest earnings to the government from the Rs9.67 billion it received for projects in six Sindh districts between 2018 and 2024. SRSO's CEO stated the funds were intact and would be returned once a formal request is made by the Planning Department.
PAC directed a fact-finding investigation into SRSO's spending and retention of the interest amount. The committee also reinstated Pervez Ahmed, the suspended Project Director of the People's Poverty Reduction Programme, after he apologised for the delayed audit submission.
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