PESHAWAR— Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly and Speaker of the Provincial Assembly, Babar Saleem Swati, has expressed serious concerns over the sudden transfer of the provincial Accountant General, Nasiruddin Sarwar, during the ongoing inquiry into the Rs. 40 billion Kohistan financial scandal.
In a formal letter addressed to the Controller General of Accounts (CGA) in Islamabad on May 22, the PAC chairman strongly objected to the timing of Sarwar’s transfer, stating that it raises serious concerns and warrants an official explanation. The letter, sent through the Additional Secretary of the PAC, underscores that the abrupt move could undermine ongoing efforts to expose financial irregularities and corruption in the province.
Speaker Swati emphasized that the timing and implications of the transfer were alarming, especially considering the scale and seriousness of the allegations being investigated. “Such massive financial irregularities could not have occurred without the collusion or negligence of the concerned officials,” the letter stated.
According to the PAC, the committee is currently investigating illegal payments and embezzlement worth Rs. 40 billion in the Upper Kohistan Works Division for the fiscal years 2019 to 2024. The investigations have reportedly revealed gross financial mismanagement caused by corrupt practices among senior officials, prompting the committee to demand strict accountability.
Nasiruddin Sarwar was recently appointed as Director General (Investigation, Vigilance, and Regulation), where he is now responsible for overseeing inquiries into financial misconduct. The PAC had previously directed Sarwar to take action against the officers involved in corruption. His sudden transfer, the letter claims, could disrupt and compromise the integrity of the investigation process.
The letter further invokes Articles 169 and 170 of the Constitution, urging the federal office to fulfill its constitutional obligations and ensure full cooperation with the KP Assembly’s Public Accounts Committee. It also demands that Sarwar be instructed to continue playing his role in the investigation, and that the relevant federal authority appear before the PAC in its next session.
Copies of the letter have also been sent to the Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee of the National Assembly and to the Auditor General of Pakistan.
