Millions Vanish From Pakistan Embassies Abroad - ProPakistani

Pakistan’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has uncovered millions of rupees in alleged financial irregularities at Pakistani embassies in Austria and Bulgaria.

The committee, chaired by Syed Naveed Qamar, reviewed audit objections involving the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for the financial year 2023-24 at Parliament House on Wednesday.

During the meeting, audit officials informed the committee that an accountant at Pakistan’s Embassy in Austria had allegedly embezzled Rs. 165.6 million by transferring the money into personal bank accounts belonging to himself and his wife.

The accused was referred to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), and two FIRs were registered.

PAC Chairman Naveed Qamar criticized the lack of progress despite six years having passed since the case emerged. He questioned the FIA’s performance and said the investigation appeared to have made little progress beyond registering cases.

FIA officials told the committee that the accused had been arrested but later released on bail. The committee summoned the FIA director general to its next meeting to explain the investigation’s progress.

The Foreign Secretary said the employee had been dismissed and that the Foreign Office had initiated legal proceedings before the audit authorities identified the irregularities. She put the amount involved at around 170,000 euros.

PAC directed the Foreign Secretary to conduct a fresh investigation and submit a report within one month.

The committee was also informed about alleged embezzlement of Rs. 29 million at Pakistan’s Embassy in Bulgaria.

An inquiry committee was formed on September 10, 2026, but had not travelled to Bulgaria because of government restrictions on foreign travel under austerity measures.

PAC expressed concern over the delay and recommended allowing officials to travel abroad when necessary to investigate financial irregularities.

The Foreign Secretary told the committee that the employee had initially admitted to the allegations but later challenged his dismissal in court. He was reinstated following a court order.

Auditor General officials also highlighted a shortage of qualified accounting staff at Pakistani diplomatic missions. They said assistants were sometimes assigned accounting responsibilities despite lacking the required experience.

PAC directed the Foreign Office to ensure that experienced accountants are appointed at overseas missions and that the reported irregularities are properly investigated.

The committee also questioned the use of more than Rs. 17.2 million from the Community Welfare Fund by the Pakistan Community Welfare School in Abu Dhabi.

Naveed Qamar asked how spending community funds on the school benefited the wider Pakistani community and whether the expenditure had received proper approval.

The Foreign Secretary said the school charged low fees, followed the Pakistani curriculum and had a student population comprising 98 percent Pakistani children. She added that fee collections were insufficient to cover operating costs, requiring financial assistance.

She maintained that the expenditure had been approved through the required process.

PAC also examined funds allocated for Pakistani students studying abroad.

Audit officials told the committee that Pakistan’s Embassy in Berlin had withdrawn more than 360,000 euros from funds allocated for education and had not replenished the amount.

The Foreign Secretary said the embassy faced financial difficulties and that heads of missions sometimes borrowed funds to meet essential expenses.

Naveed Qamar objected to the practice, while Auditor General officials said the money belonged to the Higher Education Commission (HEC) and should be returned if it had not been spent for its intended purpose.

The committee directed the HEC to recover the amount within three months.

In another case, audit officials revealed that Pakistan’s Embassy in the United States was holding more than Rs. 1.22 billion in HEC funds that had not been distributed to students.

The Foreign Secretary said the HEC was responsible for identifying eligible students and that the embassy had not received instructions from the commission to release the funds.

PAC referred the matter to the Departmental Accounts Committee for further examination.

The committee also examined several other audit objections involving Pakistani diplomatic missions.

Audit officials said Pakistan’s mission in Dhaka had maintained a bank account since 1986 without providing the required approval documents from the Ministry of Finance or relevant bank statements.

The Director General Finance informed the committee that two accounts existed, holding approximately $98,000 and $1 million. PAC referred the matter back to the Departmental Accounts Committee.

In another case, rental income generated by Pakistan’s mission in Vienna had been deposited into an unauthorised account. The committee directed the Ministry of Finance to regularise the account.

Audit officials also reported that funds allocated for construction work in Australia had not been surrendered.

The PAC settled several audit objections during the meeting and directed the relevant departments to address the remaining issues and improve financial oversight at Pakistani missions abroad.

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