QUETTA:Khalil Ahmed, President, All Pakistan Clerks Association (APCA), Population Welfare Department, Balochistan, has said that an amount of Rs. 480 lacs were released in the head of general medicines and contraceptive medicines during the fiscal year 2020-21 to Population Welfare Department, but regrettably, the whole amount was embezzled.

In a statement issued here on Thursday, he said that the Family Welfare Centres in different districts of the province have been closed, bringing the performance of the department to zero and depriving thereby general public of the fruition of the department owing to the reason that general medicines and contraceptive medicines have not been delivered. He added that the process of embezzling the amount meant for procurement of general medicines and contraceptive medicines for Population Welfare Department has been in progress since the financial year 2018-2019.

He said that All Pakistan Clerks Association (APCA), Population Welfare Department raised voice through press and protested in order to save the department from ruination and accordingly the government of Balochistan directed Chief Minister’s Inspection Team (CMIT), Balochistan to conduct inquiry into the irregularities/ embezzlement by appointing an inquiry officer. But regretfully neither the inquiry officer of CMIT paid a visit to warehouse, Karachi nor did he seek reasons from District Officers of Population Welfare Department about non-delivery of medicines to their respective districts, he added.

He said that the during fiscal year 2021-2022, Directorate General, Population Welfare Department once again violated all the rules and regulations, adding that tender amounting to Rs. 01 crore for procurement of general medicines and Rs. 03 crore for contraceptive medicines were floated in the leading newspapers, but, he said that the said amount was paid to a blue-eyed firm before the closure of June, 2022 without procuring general medicines and contraceptive medicines for the Department.

He said that the said blue-eyed firm has not supplied general medicines and contraceptive medicines, adding that neither the reports of Drug Inspector nor does the report of Department regarding delivery of requisite items to the Population Welfare Department is available. He said payment of amount in advance to the firm without obtaining the items is sheer violation of the laws. He called on authorities to conduct fair and transparent inquiry into the alleged embezzlement in the heads meant for purchasing general medicines and contraceptive medicines for Population Welfare Department.