PAC seeks briefing on PIA’s internal control system

Directs management to strengthen, digitalise system and keep record of all transactions

ISLAMABAD: The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on Monday directed Aviation Division to give a detailed briefing to the panel on strengthening internal control system with special emphasis on eliminating old corrupt practices in managing financial matters.

The committee headed by Hina Rabbani Khar, Member National Assembly (MNA) was reviewing audit report of public sector enterprises 2012-13.

"Our work is useless if we do not discuss current audit reports," remarked the convener expressing disappointment on chronic audit paras.

MNA Hussain Tariq remarked that the current PAC inherited 18,000 audit paras, hoping that the next PAC would not inherit the pending paras.

The audit officials apprised the committee about non-recovery of credit sales from Speedex account holder by Pakistan International Airlines (PIA). The committee was informed that there was no security with the Speedex to recover the credit amount of Rs14.5 million. The management however, clarified that Rs10.25 million had been recovered and remaining Rs4.280 million were yet to be retrieved.

The management of PIA further informed the committee that supporting documents and record including bank statements, recovery ledgers, credit receipts reflect that recovery of remaining Rs4.280 was not available therefore the issue might be directed to resolve as per law.

The committee directed the management of PIA to verify the documents available and regularise the amount for which there was no record.

The committee gave strict warning to the PIA management to strengthen their internal control system and keep the record of all transactions.

The audit department advised the PIA management to install IT based control system instead of the manual record keeping systems to assist both the PIA staff and audit department.