Irregularities in NHA: Sheikh Rashid, PML-N lawmaker trade barbs

PAC expresses dissatisfaction over NHA’s inquiry report

ISLAMABAD:

A lawmaker from the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) on Tuesday traded barbs with the Awami Muslim League (AML) chief Sheikh Rashid Ahmed after Ahmed made a reference to the ‘keen interest’ of the prime minister in affairs of the National Highway Authority (NHA).

The episode took place in a meeting of Public Accounts Committee (PAC), which was discussing the NHA’s decision to award contract for construction of flyover on Multan’s Shujabad road at Rs602.94 million against PC-I cost of Rs364 million in 2010.

The AML chief said the matter should be either referred to NAB or the FIA. “The PM is taking keen interest in affairs of the NHA,” he added.

However, this comment elicited a strong response from the PML-N’s Rana Afzal Hussian, who asked Sheikh Rashid Ahmed ‘not to cross his limits’. “How dare he took name of my leader [Nawaz Sharif]. This is simply not acceptable,” he said.



“There is no limit to corruption but I am being asked to stay within limits,” Ahmed retorted.

The committee also expressed surprise over the fact that the report of an NHA’s internal inquiry into Multan flyover case had not held anyone responsible. The report was presented before the PAC during the proceedings while it is still to be submitted to the Auditor General of Pakistan.

“It took you two years to compile the report but it is not known who is responsible for the loss to the exchequer,” said PTI’s Shafqat Mehmood as he addressed the NHA Secretary Khalid Masood.

The PAC also expressed displeasure at the submission of an incomplete report and the PML-N’s Mian Abdul Manan asked the NHA’s secretary if he did not want to stay in his position.

Khalid Masood, however, informed the PAC that he had taken charge of his job a couple of days ago and had not gone through documents in detail.

Combined PAC

Meanwhile, Senate Council of Chairmen reiterated need for a combined PAC of both the Houses of the Parliament. Currently the PAC has representation of members of National Assembly. Senate has formally written to the NA Speaker Ayaz Sadiq for its representation but has not received a reply as yet.

A meeting of Council of Chairmen, which met with of the Senate Acting Chairman Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri decided to send a reminder to the speaker.

The committee agreed that the Senate does not intend to be in conflict with the NA and that two parallel PACs was not a viable solution.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 9^th, 2016.