PAC summons FIA chief over Rs165.6m Austria embassy fraud

Audit officials told the Public Accounts Committee that an accountant at Pakistan's embassy in Austria transferred Rs165.6 million into bank accounts held in his own name and his wife's, and the committee has summoned the head of the Federal Investigation Agency to explain the case.

The disclosure came during the committee's review of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' audit objections for 2023-24, which it is taking mission by mission. Two FIRs were registered over the transfers and the accountant was arrested, but he was later released on bail, the officials said.

PAC Chairman Syed Naveed Qamar raised concern at the lack of progress in the investigation and summoned the FIA director general to appear before the committee. The committee directed the Foreign Secretary to submit a fresh investigation report on the Austria case within one month.

TechJuice reported that the committee was also told of an alleged embezzlement of Rs29 million at Pakistan's embassy in Bulgaria. An inquiry opened in September 2026 has been held up because officials could not travel abroad under the government's austerity restrictions. The committee recommended that official travel needed to investigate financial irregularities be allowed.

The committee examined unspent Higher Education Commission funds as well. More than Rs1.22 billion has been held at Pakistan's embassy in the United States without being distributed to students, according to TechJuice. The committee directed the HEC to recover more than 360,000 euros withdrawn from education funds by the embassy in Berlin within three months.

Members also took up community welfare spending in Abu Dhabi and financial irregularities involving the missions in Dhaka and Vienna.

The committee's directions now cover three separate recoveries: a fresh report on the Austria case within a month, the Berlin money within three months, and the HEC funds held in the United States.