If only PAC had asked whether those complained against were given a chance to clarify their position before ruling.
ISLAMABAD: A civil servant is always prone to be maligned during service, but I was not counting on it after retirement. This Thursday morning I was shocked to see my name in the papers, as part of reporting of the PAC proceedings, accusing me, amongst others, of owing the Ministry of Commerce Rs1.9 million in unadjusted TA/DA for a period in 2004-05.
This newspaper report was the first time I had heard of the matter. The audit department of the Ministry of Commerce had taken the allegation against an officer right up to the PAC (which is like the Supreme Court in audit matters) without even informing him once, to give him a chance to explain or rectify the objection. Before the PAC, there is a Department Audit Committee (DAC) in between also, before whom the matter must have been placed. This must have gone on for the seven years since the cause of action occurred, but not a word to the person against whom action is being taken. Mind you, like all retiring officers, an NOC had been issued by all departments one had worked in for 37 years in government, before being allowed to draw one’s pension. This included the Ministry of Commerce.
As for the PAC matter, I am assuming it pertains to TA/DA of a tour undertaken of a number of European countries, as secretary commerce, to lobby with my counterparts, to seek their support for Pakistan’s case for GSP-plus in the EU. That was high priority with the then government. This trade diplomacy was no pleasure trip either, as one had to cover seven to eight countries in as many days in biting cold.
Adjustment of TA/DA drawn is a routine exercise from day one of joining service. Clerical errors and audit objections are a routine and are taken care of as one goes along. In this case also, I assume there must be some travel document issue, which I am sure will be settled. If only the PAC had asked whether the persons complained against have been given a chance to clarify their position before ruling against them.
But to malign a person who has always been conscious of conduct unbecoming of an officer, throughout his 37 years in government is unfair to say the least. But in the current tug of war and era of malfeasance, where every tainted person wants to paint the other person black so that he himself appears less tainted, who cares.
Tasneem Noorani
Former Secretary Commerce/Interior Islamabad
Published in The Express Tribune, January 27th, 2013.
