KARA CHI - Government departments getting police security at their offices and installations owed Rs268.760 million as service charges to the Sindh Police. This fact came to light here on Monday at the Public Accounts Committee meeting, which was discussing the audit report of Sindh Police. The PAC expressed surprise that police forces were not available for security and safety of the people but these departments were availing facilities without giving payments. The PAC meeting was presided over by Chairman Sardar Jam Tamachi at the Committee Room of assembly building to consider the audit report of Sindh Police for 2004-05 on Monday. The audit report said that non-recovery of service charges was pointed out in November 2004. The department replied that an amount of Rs50.480 million was recovered by the office. In the DAC meeting held on June 5, 2006, recovery of Rs50.480 million was verified by audit and para reduced to Rs268.760 million. The department was directed to expedite the recovery of balance amount. No further recovery was reported till finalisation of this report. According to notification No-6121-6132 (B-I) dated December 9, 1996 issued by the Inspector General of Police Sindh, police guards are provided on payment basis to the other agencies/departments/private bodies and persons, Police Rules-10.21 makes its obligatory to recover the cost in advance. In five offices of police department, police guards were provided to various government and private agencies on payment basis, but recovery of service charges of Rs319.279 million was still outstanding, although the amount was required to be recovered in advance under rules. The PAC was informed that on the directives of Sindh government, police services were provided to NBP, KESC, National Saving Centres, Telecommunication, State Life, Radio Pakistan, Khashkheli Oilfield and many other departments. Provincial Police Officer (PPO) told the committee, that IGP office has only 11 posts of constables and it were DPOs, who provide guards services to the departments/agencies. He said that keeping in view the security situation, police guards could not be withdrawn from these departments/organisations thus taking advantage of the situation they did not bother to pay the outstanding dues. Sardar Jam Tamachi observed that despite the strength shortage of police force, security guards were provided to those departments/agencies which can give service charges but they did not bother to pay the dues. He suggested that letter should be written to the government that these departments were not paying their outstanding dues. An amount of Rs27.50 million is outstanding against District Police Officer Hyderabad. The concerned office produced deposited challans of Rs2.423 million which were verified. The remaining balance of Rs25.077 million is still to be recovered. An amount of Rs12.73 was due against District Police Officer, Jacobabad. The concerned officer produced a deposit challan Rs2.22 million. However, an amount of Rs10.51 million is still to be recovered. An amount of Rs3.62 million was outstanding against District Police Officer Nawabshah. The concerned officer did not produce recovered for verification. An amount of Rs2.94 million dues were against District Police Officer, Thatta. The concerned officer produced copy of challans of Rs0.159 million which was verified while Rs2.781 million stands un-recovered. However, all deposit challans need to be reconciled with the authorities concerned. The Police department, in its explanation said an amount of Rs225.45 million shown against IGP office in not correct. As per record provided by AIGP (Logistic) CPO, no guards were provided by the CPO. It appears that audit has probably taken figures from correspondence of CPO with the DDOs and resultantly duplication of figures has been caused. Therefore, after removal Rs225.45 million, the actual receivable amount is Rs39.90 million. In this regard, meeting of concerned DPOs was called on January 26, 2009, at CPO. They were directed to make efforts for early recovery of outstanding dues. As per report submitted by the DPOs, they have approached the departments concerned for early recovery. The police department has also approached the concerned department/agencies at senior level who have committed to early payment. The para was deferred till next meeting. The audit report pointed irregular expenditure of Rs24.59 million on feeding charges. It said that according to para 67 chapter IV of Sindh Purchase Manual 1991, all demands valuing rupees one lac and above except those of proprietary nature should invariably be advertised through press by sending a public notice to the Director Public Relations, government of Sindh for publicity in the leading newspapers. In the said public notice, nature and quality of the store required, total estimated value, earnest money required, terms delivery, price of tender, date, time and venue of opening of tender must clearly be indicated. In the 18 offices of police department, it was observed that an amount of Rs24.59 million was incurred during the year 2003-04 on account of feeding charges without inviting open tenders and obtaining acknowledgement from the payees under the rules. The duties/deployment is spread over wide area, at different locations including police operations in katcha, forest and riverine areas. In these circumstances, the procedure of floating tender is neither practical nor possible on short notice and variable qualities and different supply locations. The audit pointed out non-recovery of fines amounting to Rs823,825. It said that in the office of Senior Superintendent of Police Traffic Zone-I Karachi, an amount of Rs823,825 was imposed as fine during the year 2003-04 by traffic police for breaching traffic laws, but the same were not recovered. In reply, the department stated that the cases of unpaid traffic fine against the offenders were referred to court which summarily disposed off. After hearing the argument, the para was settled. The para, the audit identified regarding non-production of record of expenditure of Rs9.756 million was deferred till next meeting. There were five paras in the audit reports of which the PAC settled two paras while three were deferred till next meeting scheduled to be held on March 4.