PAC asks for list of ‘plot politics’ beneficiaries

ISLAMABAD: The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has asked the government to disclose the names of the beneficiaries of ‘plot politics’ in the last 13 years. The list is expected to include prominent journalists, judges, generals, politicians and bureaucrats.

The Ministry of Housing and Works has been asked to provide the details of the number of plots doled out to ‘favourites’. The PAC is interested in records from the time period of the caretaker government in 1996 to the present regime. The committee has also asked the government to review its policy of giving two plots to judges and bureaucrats on retirement. “Plot politics should now come to an end,” raged PAC chairman Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan. He said discretionary granting of plots was an innovation in corrupt practices.

While the ministry has been given a month’s time to cough up the details, PAC has not indicated what it intends to do with the list. The committee has also accused the National Accountability Bureau of working to change political affiliations during then president Pervez Musharraf’s tenure. NAB acting chairman Javed Qazi has been asked to provide details of the perks and privileges given to NAB for engaging in horse trading.

Meanwhile, the office of the Auditor General of Pakistan disclosed that in the last ten years, NAB received Rs 1.6 billion as its share of the recovered proceeds of corruption. “The incentive system for civil servants is completely distorted,” cautioned Auditor General of Pakistan Tanvir Ali Agha. “It’s time for the government to take stock of the situation.”

The PAC also sought the details of new cases initiated by the bureau in the last two years. Qazi told the committee that NAB is currently investigating 500 inquiries and has reopened 158 cases closed under the National Reconciliation Ordinance. But he could not justify why NAB was not completing the inquiry against the sitting director general of the Ministry of Housing and Works.

The bureau also came under criticism for its financial management. “NAB’s internal system is not efficient and this puts a question mark on the bureau’s ability to investigate the accounts of others,” said PAC member Yasmeen Rehman.

Published in the Express Tribune, June 17^th, 2010.