The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), a key regulatory body overseeing the telecommunications sector, is currently under intense scrutiny due to a recent audit report by the Auditor General of Pakistan.
The report has revealed significant irregularities in the PTA’s recruitment practices, raising alarms about the organization’s financial management and compliance with established protocols.
The audit uncovered major recruitment violations at the PTA during the 2022-23 financial year, resulting in a loss of over Rs45 million to the national treasury.
The PTA hired personnel, including an IT officer and two assistant directors, without the necessary positions being available, breaching service rules.
These unauthorized recruitments led to the disbursement of Rs45.9 million in salaries and allowances, in clear violation of regulations.
The audit also noted that most of the recruitments did not adhere to the advertised criteria. Despite the PTA’s defense that its chairman had the authority to modify recruitment criteria, audit authorities found this explanation unsatisfactory, pointing out that these positions did not exist.
Furthermore, the PTA ignored directives to review its recruitment practices and provide a corrective report within a month, with no progress made to date.
The audit authorities have now directed the PTA to conduct an inquiry to identify those responsible for these violations.
This situation underscores serious governance issues within the PTA and raises concerns about adherence to recruitment standards and financial management in public sector organizations.
The ongoing investigation aims to hold those responsible for these financial discrepancies accountable and to ensure that proper procedures are followed in future recruitment processes.