A third PAC comes into being
Cornering opposition, treasury amends rules
Punjab Assembly building. PHOTO: EXPRESS
LAHORE:
Despite strong opposition reaction, the treasury benches amended the Punjab Assembly’s Rules of Procedure to form a third Public Accounts Committee (PAC-III) which exclusively deals with audit objections of the local government.
The opposition lawmakers reacted strongly after they were not allowed to present their opinions and objections. They chanted slogans against partial role of PA Speaker Chaudhary Pervez Elahi. After the government hastily amended the rules, the speaker allowed the opposition to speak.
PAC panel up issue of supplementary grants
PML-N’s Samiullah Chaudhary was shocked that the government, instead of deciding the fate of the first two PACs, decided to pave the way for a third.
He said the opposition should have been given the right to speak rather than hastily amending the rules. Chaudhary said that despite the best efforts, the fate of Public Accounts Committee-I could not be decided; let alone establishing a third PAC.
He pointed out that a consensus had been developed between the treasury and the opposition that the chairmanship of PAC-I would go to the latter while an MPA from the former’s ranks would take charge of PAC-II.
Provincial law minister Raja Basharat told the house that the auditor general of Pakistan wrote to the provincial assembly, highlighting that an independent office had been set up for the audit director general in 2003. He said the office would audit the district government of Punjab.
Opposition snubs govt’s call for joint resolution, continues protest for PAC
However, there was no permanent forum to discuss the audit reports of the Punjab director general and the total number pending for discussion are 964. He said that the auditor general also wrote to the assembly to set up a proper forum, but the government failed to pay attention.
“No amendment was made by the previous government in the said Rules so now there will be one to form a PAC-III that will exclusively deal with the audit objections of the local government.” Speaker Elahi, assured the opposition that matters would be ironed out and asked that the government be given due time.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 25th, 2019.
Despite strong opposition reaction, the treasury benches amended the Punjab Assembly’s Rules of Procedure to form a third Public Accounts Committee (PAC-III) which exclusively deals with audit objections of the local government.
The opposition lawmakers reacted strongly after they were not allowed to present their opinions and objections. They chanted slogans against partial role of PA Speaker Chaudhary Pervez Elahi. After the government hastily amended the rules, the speaker allowed the opposition to speak.
PAC panel up issue of supplementary grants
PML-N’s Samiullah Chaudhary was shocked that the government, instead of deciding the fate of the first two PACs, decided to pave the way for a third.
He said the opposition should have been given the right to speak rather than hastily amending the rules. Chaudhary said that despite the best efforts, the fate of Public Accounts Committee-I could not be decided; let alone establishing a third PAC.
He pointed out that a consensus had been developed between the treasury and the opposition that the chairmanship of PAC-I would go to the latter while an MPA from the former’s ranks would take charge of PAC-II.
Provincial law minister Raja Basharat told the house that the auditor general of Pakistan wrote to the provincial assembly, highlighting that an independent office had been set up for the audit director general in 2003. He said the office would audit the district government of Punjab.
Opposition snubs govt’s call for joint resolution, continues protest for PAC
However, there was no permanent forum to discuss the audit reports of the Punjab director general and the total number pending for discussion are 964. He said that the auditor general also wrote to the assembly to set up a proper forum, but the government failed to pay attention.
“No amendment was made by the previous government in the said Rules so now there will be one to form a PAC-III that will exclusively deal with the audit objections of the local government.” Speaker Elahi, assured the opposition that matters would be ironed out and asked that the government be given due time.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 25th, 2019.