CENTRAL ARCHIVE OFFICE OF THE AUDITOR GENERAL OF PAKISTAN
The Central Archive is the official repository for records and documentary heritage of DAGP. The Worthy Auditor General of Pakistan has approved that “the Archive at the office of the Auditor General of Pakistan will be officially referred to as Central Archive of the Office of the Auditor General of Pakistan. Its objective is to identify, collect and properly preserve official publications including Audit Reports, Audited Appropriation Accounts, Finance Accounts, Audit Manuals, Guidelines, Pamphlets, other Reports, Memorabilia and other Historical Record.
FUNCTIONS
- To collect and preserve all publications of the Department (1825 till date) from within and outside the Department.
- To collect and preserve documents relating to legislative history of the Department.
- To develop the history of the Department.
- To help FAOs in building an Archive of respective Audit Reports.
- To provide access to a unique and multi-faceted collection pertaining to the institution.
- To identify, collect and archive photographic and news clippings record of the DAGP.
- To support scholarly, administrative, and personal research.
VISION
Its vision is to identify, collect and properly preserve reports, manuals, guidelines, reference books and other publications of the department. It supports the Department by providing access to a unique and multi-faceted collection that includes significant record dates back to 18th Century and contains a lot of things about the DAGP. In addition it will provide services that build, maintains and provide access to DAGP’s record to support and contribute towards the legal, administrative, intellectual and cultural life of DAGP
MISSION
The Central Archive is responsible for acquiring, preserving and providing access to the documentary heritage of the Department. The mission of the Central Archive is to make the operations of Department more efficient, effective and economical through records management.
BACKGROUND
The Department of the Auditor General of Pakistan [DAGP] has a long history of being at the centre of public accountability that goes back to the 18th century when the financial codes and manual for public financial management in the region were first drafted. The DAGP originates from the Government of India Act, 1858 and celebrated its 160th anniversary in 2018. Since the independence of Pakistan from the British Raj, DAGP is performing key role in ensuring accountability and transparency in the Government operations. Initially, DAGP adopted the Audit and Accounts practices from the Auditor General of British India but later on developed its own publications, guidelines, modern techniques and standards of Government accounting and auditing for minimizing the possibility of waste and fraud in the executive Departments.
Unfortunately, most of these publications, record and history of the Department was unavailable under a single roof and buried in documentation scattered throughout the Department. Secondly, records were kept in various basements, abandoned rooms, and other storage places with little security or concern for storage conditions. There was a dire need to have formally designated agency which could be used to preserves our primary and secondary source materials. In addition, linking the past to the present, this documentary heritage must be safeguarded as it shows the evolution of public auditing and financial accountability in Pakistan.
By keeping in view the above mentioned objectives, an Archives Committee for the DAGP was appointed by the Auditor General of Pakistan on 21st December, 2017, to ensure the preservation of information of historic value of the Department. The composition of committee was as under;
- Mr. Sheraz Manzoor Haider, DG (IR&C).
- Mr. Adnan Rafique, DG (HRM).
- Mr. Mehfooz Bhatti, DG (Policy).
- Mr. Hassan Saqlain, C.I, A&AA.
- Mr. Usman Butt, Director to AGP.
- Mr. Muhammad Raza Irfan, Librarian.
The below mentioned officers also cooperated with the members of the Central Archive committee for matters relating to Military and Railways Accounts;
- Mr. Hassan Masud, Additional AGPR.
- Dr. Muhammad Saeed, FA&CAO (PR).
CHAIRPERSON ARCHIVE COMMITTEE
Central Archive is the brain child of Mr. Sheraz Manzoor Haider (Chairperson Archive Committee). He is the pioneer of establishing Archive in the DAGP. His concern for preserving the institutional memory of the Department was contagious enough to influence officers to establish and fund a Central Archive at the office of the Auditor General of Pakistan. He is also serving as the Director General (Budget & Administration) at the Office of the Auditor General of Pakistan. Despite the pressure of Budget and administrative matter, he has been kind enough to devote time to develop an archive for preserving our documentary heritage for future generations.
Besides establishing a Central Archive, he has a vast experience of Audit. While serving at Audit, Federal Works Audit, and Pakistan Resident Mission of the Asian Development Bank Ministry of Railway, Islamabad, as Chief Finance & Accounts Officer he was managing largest financial portfolio of about Rs. 140 billion per annum. He has worked at offices of SAP Audit, Federal.
He has been a co-editor of annual Report of the Auditor General of Pakistan, co-author of Youth Policy. His expertise ranges from public policy analysis, public finance management, auditing, integrity assurance, fiduciary arrangement and contracts management. He has under taken auditing assignments in Austria, Saudia Arabia and Mexico and delivered lecture at ERRA, NAB, National Institute of Management, National Institute of Rural Management, Pakistan Audit & Accounts Academy, and Performance Audit Wing.
DOCUMENTING HISTORY OF THE DAGP
Among the various activities conceived by the Committee, writing history of evolution of DAGP was the most significant task. Information regarding establishment of office and its role has been collected from all Field Audit Offices (FAOs) with the help of template especially designed by pooling of knowledge and expert opinion of members of Central Archive Committee.
Following information has been collected from the FAO’s as well as Wings for this purpose;
- Name of office and date of its establishment
- Rationale for establishment of office.
- Predecessor organization (whose work was entrusted to the office).
- History of office.
- Initial and Current functions and organogram.
- Initial and Current jurisdiction
- Total number of earliest and current auditee entities
- Office's initial and last year's expenditure
- Number of annual reports and types currently produced
- Publications (other than audit reports)
- Name of office and date of its establishment
- Major achievements of the office
- Description of manuals, codes, guides which are used for audit
- List of Heads of office with tenure (since establishment)
ARCHIVE COLLECTION
By the grace of Almighty Allah we have an exclusive collection of more than 8500 hard and soft copies, which contains Audit and Accounts Manuals, Guidelines, Reference books, News Clipping, Audit Reports, Appropriation /Finance Accounts, Public Accounts Committees Reports and other publications related to International SAI’s.
NEWS CLIPPINGS AND PHOTOGRAPHS
The record along with visual heritage provides unique insight to the past as the basis for looking to the future. Photographs connect us to our past; they remind us of people, places, feelings, and stories. They can help us to know the evolution and professional journey of a Department. News clippings from (1995 to 1997 and 2001 to 2017), photos and other media coverage (hard and soft copies) have been preserved in the Central Archive.
SOUVENIRS
These souvenirs serve as symbols of the travel experience and evoke memories. Souvenirs received by Auditor General of Pakistan and representative of DAGP from various head of SAI’s, Army Institutes; foreign dignitaries have been preserved in the Central Archive. Similarly official invitation cards and greeting cards received from foreign dignitaries have also been conserved.
In order to streamline the collection, cataloging and preservation of Souvenirs, the Administration Wing have been instructed to prepare an inventory of all souvenirs received by the worthy Auditor General of Pakistan from (Foreign SAIs and National Institutions) including photographs displayed or in the store of the office of the Auditor General of Pakistan. From now onwards, these resources will be considered property of Central Archives and will be subject to annual stock taking.
DISPLAY CENTER
We also intend to preserve the vintage artifacts and other items of historical value. For that purpose, we have a display center within the Archive where we have kept antique things belonging to the Department which provides a unique insight into our glorious past. Typewriters, old telephone sets, stationary items and other vintage items have been kept for preservation and display.
HOW PEOPLE CAN ACCESS
Handling and access is a major risk to the safety of documents. All record of the Central Archive is available during the office hours. Books/ Reports and other publications of DAGP for reference and research purposes are provided only upon request made on a specially designed application form duly signed by an officer of BPS-19 and above.