Government urged to designate Maqbool Gondal as the Attorney General for Pakistan
New Auditor General of Pakistan Appointed
The Auditor General of Pakistan (AGP) is a crucial constitutional position that ensures the legality and propriety of government expenditures. The incumbent AGP, Muhammad Ajmal Gondal, is set to complete his term next month, and his successor has been announced.
Maqbool Ahmad Gondal, a senior official of the Pakistan Audit and Accounts Group, will take over as the new AGP. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has advised President Asif Zardari to appoint Maqbool Ahmad Gondal under Article 168 (1) of the Constitution.
Maqbool Ahmad Gondal, who has been serving as Controller General of Accounts (CGA), will assume the office of AGP upon the completion of Ajmal Gondal's term. The Auditor General's term is fixed for five years or until the age of 65, whichever is earlier.
The AGP's role is to audit the accounts of any authority or body established by the Federation or a Province, including the consolidated funds of Pakistan, public accounts, and all government-controlled organizations or entities using public funds. The AGP operates independently in performing audits and issuing reports, providing checks on government financial operations.
The AGP's reports are submitted to the President, Provincial Governors, and Parliament, highlighting irregularities, inefficiencies, or misuse of public resources to promote transparency and accountability. In addition to constitutional powers, the AGP’s authority is supplemented by various audit laws and ordinances that empower the office to conduct audits, investigation, and follow-up on audit findings.
The AGP's certification is crucial for financial transfers between the federal center and provinces. The AGP audits trading, manufacturing, profit and loss accounts, and balance sheets of Federal and Provincial departments, as well as all transactions of the Federation and Provinces relating to Public Accounts.
The Pakistan Audit and Accounts Group, a key department in the financial management of Pakistan, played a significant role in the appointment process. A summary for this appointment was moved to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, which included senior incumbent officials of the Pakistan Audit and Accounts Group and one recently retired official of the same group.
With Maqbool Ahmad Gondal's appointment, the Auditor-General's role in ensuring financial discipline and accountability in the government continues. The new AGP will continue to ensure that the moneys shown in the accounts are legally available and applicable to the service or purpose they are applied or charged.
- The new Auditor General of Pakistan, Maqbool Ahmad Gondal, will take office after the current incumbent, Muhammad Ajmal Gondal, completes his term, assuming control from the Pakistan Audit and Accounts Group, a key department in the financial management of Pakistan.
- Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has advised President Asif Zardari to appoint Maqbool Ahmad Gondal under Article 168 (1) of the Constitution, ensuring that the AGP's role in conducting audits, issuing reports, and promoting transparency and accountability in policy-and-legislation, politics, and general-news continues.
- As Controller General of Accounts, Maqbool Ahmad Gondal will maintain the AGP's independence in auditing the accounts of various authorities and bodies, including government-controlled organizations or entities using public funds, and will certify financial transfers between the federal center and provinces, upholding the AGP's global reputation in the US and the world.
