Committee orders audit of expenditure

Wants TDAP to explain spending on exhibitions

ISLAMABAD: Senate Standing Committee on Commerce ordered a thorough audit of expenditure incurred on different exhibitions organised by the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP).

A sub-committee, headed by former finance minister, Senator Salim Mandviwalla, would examine the spending on exhibitions.

Senator Syed Shibli Faraz pointed out that the organisation had failed to provide support to the private sector, in terms of arranging sufficient exhibitions.

He also expressed concern that TDAP CEO S M Munir, who could not even attend the meetings of standing committee, should wind up the ‘failed’ organisation.

Mandviwalla, who left TDAP a few months ago, endorsed the suggestion.

Faraz criticised the TDAP management for not extending required assistance to an exhibition of gems and jewellery organised by Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa’s (K-P) private sector in Islamabad.

The exhibition organiser explained that neither the Commerce Ministry nor TDAP had extended any support to the industry in K-P which was already suffering due to terrorism.

Other side

On the other end, TDAP Secretary Rabiya Javeri Agha explained that TDAP had extended Rs1.8 million last year to the exhibitors and asked them to submit details of expenditure but they failed to comply.

Federal Minister of Commerce Khurram Dastgir argued that TDAP was not only accountable to the committee but also the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) and for this purpose paperwork was a necessary part of the procedure.

Furthermore, he said that the relevant person in the ministry will look into the matter and resolve the issue of the gems and jewellery sector. He further noted that the government was constructing a Rs5-billion Expo Centre in Peshawar next year.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 6^th, 2016.

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