Pakistan has redirected Rs550 million from its Asian Development Bank (ADB) grant to provide flood relief to Turkey and Syria, a move that was disclosed during a meeting of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC).
Auditors revealed that flood relief items worth Rs552.6 million were sent from the ADB grant. Committee member Omar Ayub expressed concerns, saying, “We are acting like benefactors, but this money was a grant for us.” He added that the ADB provided the grant to Pakistan, not to be used for charity.
Responding to the criticism, National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) Chairman Lieutenant General Inam Haider Malik clarified that the ADB grant was originally allocated for flood victims in Pakistan. He explained that the aid sent to Turkey and Syria was from the available stock, stating, “We have always assisted our friend nations in times of need.”
Shazia Marri, another committee member, acknowledged that helping friendly nations during difficult times was commendable but questioned why Pakistan was using its aid funds to assist others. “The real issue is that you’re using aid meant for us to help other countries,” she said. PAC chairman remarked, “You can use your own money as you see fit, but was it right to send help from money that wasn’t even yours?” In response, NDMA chairman assured the committee that the ADB grant had been returned to Pakistan. The PAC has requested a full report on the matter from the NDMA within a month.
