Local govts’ audit: Explanation sought over submission of four-year-old report

Advocate general asked to appear before the court on April 19

LAHORE: Lahore High Court on Monday sought an explanation from Advocate General Shakilur Rehman for submission of a four-year-old report in a petition seeking action against the government for not having submitted in the Punjab Assembly’s Public Accounts Committee any audit reports of the district governments.

Earlier, Advocate Sheraz Zaka, counsel for the petitioner, pointed out that a report submitted by the government carried signatures of former governor Sardar Latif Khosa. An additional advocate general had submitted the report.

Expressing his dismay at the inefficiency of the Advocate General’s office, the judge asked AG Shakilur Rehman to appear in the court for the next hearing on April 19 and explain the matter. He adjourned the hearing with directions for the AG to also try and solve the matter of submission of audit reports in the meanwhile.

Petitioner Mian Mehmoodur Rasheed had submitted that no audit report of the district governments were submitted in the PAC or presented before the House. He had said that the PAC was empowered to review the audit reports under the Section 108 of the  Punjab Local Government Act of 2013. “Strengthening the PAC is essential to ensuring accountability in use of public funds and transparency in governance,” he had observed.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 22^nd, 2016.