The Auditor General of Pakistan (AGP) has detected theft of over Rs60 million in Pakistan Railways during the fiscal year 2019-20, exposing gross mismanagement within the state-run transport service that continues to incur losses upon losses. Pakistan top auditor, in his audit report for 2019-20, said that the material and equipment worth millions of rupees had been stolen from Pakistan Railways in FY 2020-21, during the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) govt tenure. The report pointed out that valuables worth Rs61 million were stolen from different railway stations including laptops, mobile phones, building materials, furnace oil, High-Speed Diesel (HSD), steel scrap and copper tank.

The audit report further noted that building materials worth millions of rupees were stolen from Multan and Rawalpindi Railway stations, and laptops from the Commercial and Transportation Department in Karachi. It pointed out that furnace oil theft occurred in the mechanical department of Multan Railway station while mobile phones were stolen from the office of the station manager at Karachi Cantt.Meanwhile, steel scrap was stolen from Risalpur, the report added. The report further claimed that the matter was raised with the railway management but no action was taken by the department. However, the PR spokesperson said that they are over viewing the audit report and action would be taken against perpetrators.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan-INP