Islamabad - An audit report has found gross financial and administrative irregularities in the COMSATS Institute of Information Technology (CIIT), Islamabad campus, incurring over Rs470 million loss to the national exchequer.
The audit report for the year 2016-17 said the management of CIIT Islamabad awarded scholarships to 36 students in different international universities for MS and PhD programmes amounting to Rs183.559 million.
The report observed that the scholars after completing their studies neither returned to the country nor the management recovered the mount from them or their guarantors.
The reply of the CIIT management was not accepted by the auditor which recommended recovery from the defaulters.
The report also identified Rs85.430 million irregularity in organising Pak-China Business forum and marking of the Italian National Day. The CIIT management reply to the auditor was not accepted as the events were arranged in violation of the CIIT ordinance and recommended recovery of the amount.
The CIIT management was also held responsible for Rs71.896 million loss to the exchequer regarding unauthorised appointment of advisors and consultants.
The report said the management of CIIT appointed some 65 advisors and consultants and their monthly salary had been fixed from Rs20,000 to Rs2,02,000 each. Staff cars were also provided to some advisors.
The audit report observed that the management was not authorised to make such appointments.
It rejected the management reply for not framing the criteria for selection and recommended investigation into appointments of unlimited consultants and advisors in violation of the provision of the CIIT ordinance.
The report also disclosed that the CIIT management incurred loss Rs66.654 million on account of holding Vice Chancellor forum during 2013-15.
The management of CIIT did not reply to the observation and it was recommended by the audit report to fix responsibility for spending money on activities outside the mandate.
The report said that the CIIT management also spent amount during 2013-15. It also noted irregularity in payment of Rs41.228 million honorarium to its employees, adding the management paid the amount without any rules and policy. It did not accept the management reply and recommended fixing of responsibility.
The report also identified Rs14.879 million irregularity in the creation of post of appointment of Pro-Rector. The audit observed that position of Pro-Rector was not covered in the ordinance of CIIT 200. The officer was appointed on 12-06-2013 and simultaneously he was also occupying the post of Director External Campus as well from where he retired on 21-10-2013 on attaining the age of superannuation.
The audit rejecting the reply of the CIIT management on observation recommended to fix responsibility in this connection.
In payment of pension and gratuity, the audit report found Rs9.920million irregularity.
The report said the Board of Governors appointed S.M Zaidi as rector for different terms from 01-03-2001 to 19-03-2016. The pension was sanctioned on 22-03-2012 after lapse of two years and eight months after attaining the age of superannuation.
The report noted that the office was paid commutation of Rs2.240 million besides monthly pension of Rs44, 400. The liability accumulated in violation of rules comes to Rs1.68 million, it added.
The management reply was not accepted by the auditor observing that pensionery benefits could not be granted to a person who was appointed on contract basis. The audit recommended recovery of the amount from the Rector.
In the appointment of TTS faculty, the audit found Rs3.906 million irregularity and Rs1.404 million unauthorised payment of encashment of un-availed leave and Rs16.4 million irregularity in awarding space to various firms for commercial activities.
The audit recommended fixing of responsibility in all three cases and rejected the CIIT management reply.
The report said that establishment of virtual campus CIIT was neither covered in the CIIT ordinance nor the HEC approved the distance learning education programme of the CIIT.
Rejecting the CIIT management reply, audit recommended inquiry into the matter of establishing virtual campus and detail of income and expenditure of the Virtual Campus may be provided to audit with complete record.