Islamabad – Pakistan’s disaster management authority has come under sharp criticism after the Auditor General’s 2023-24 report raised financial objections worth Rs28.62 billion and revealed deep public dissatisfaction with the agency’s performance.

The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), responsible for handling emergency preparedness and relief operations, was found to have recovered only Rs2.65 billion of the flagged amount, according to a classified audit summary reviewed by officials.

Weak Public Trust in Preparedness and Relief

Beyond the financial scrutiny, auditors also examined how the NDMA is perceived by the public. Using questionnaires, the Directorate General Audit (Climate Change and Environment) found limited awareness about both disaster risks and the NDMA’s role. Roughly 72% of respondents admitted they knew little or only somewhat about natural disasters or the agency itself.

The survey further painted a bleak picture of trust:

• 76% of respondents disagreed or were neutral on whether NDMA had prepared communities for disasters.
• Only 24% expressed satisfaction with relief operations, while 76% were dissatisfied or indifferent.
• Overall, just 16% of the public rated the NDMA’s performance positively.

For a body that exists to prepare citizens for calamities, these numbers suggest a worrying disconnect between mandate and delivery.

Questionable Expenditures and Overpayments

The financial audit unearthed several cases where funds were spent without proper authorization or oversight. Most notably, the NDMA used Rs21.67 billion from the National Disaster Management Fund for relief procurement, staff salaries, and civil works—including projects under Karachi’s Transformation Plan—without federal approval.

The report also flagged excessive payments made to the National Logistics Cell (NLC) for work on Karachi’s Orangi Nullah. Auditors found that Rs3.26 billion was released as escalation costs, resulting in an overpayment of Rs2.43 billion. A separate excess payment of Rs1.83 billion was also identified, with recommendations to recover both sums.

Contracts, Procurement, and Rule Violations

Several other irregularities were documented:

• Rs23 million spent on event management services without proper authorization.
• Rs5.67 billion in overpriced contracts awarded for work on Karachi’s Gujjar and Orangi nullahs.
• Procurement of family tents worth Rs4.82 billion through pre-qualification instead of open competitive bidding, violating procurement rules.
• Additional Rs2.58 billion loss from purchasing winterized tents without technical evaluation, again breaching Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA) guidelines.

The audit recommended inquiries into these violations and accountability for those responsible.