National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq has rejected an audit report detailing a staggering Rs 375 trillion in financial irregularities for the 2023-24 fiscal year, returning it to the Auditor General of Pakistan (AGP). The purported misappropriations, nearly 27 times the federal budget and over three times Pakistan’s GDP, have raised serious doubts about the report’s accuracy.

Sadiq voiced his disapproval over the report’s direct submission to the National Assembly Secretariat, bypassing the established protocol of routing it through the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs.

The AGP, in a written response, maintained that constitutional mandate obligates the Assembly to present the report to Parliament.

The enormous sum cited in the audit has ignited a firestorm of debate. Former Auditor General Javed Jahangir described the figures as ‘extraordinary’ and urged a comprehensive examination. He emphasized the need for a thorough review of such unusually high values before they become part of the official parliamentary record.