PAC concerned over lack of internal audit in ministries

The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of the National Assembly on Thursday noted that departmental accounts committee meetings in the federal ministries and departments were not being held and urged Prime Minister Imran Khan to take notice of the matter.

The committee summoned law secretary, establishment division secretary and the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra) officials on the issue of lack of internal audit of Ogra and the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra).

A PAC meeting chaired by its chairman, Rana Tanveer Hussain, reviewed the audit objections about Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) for the financial year 2012-13. The committee expressed its annoyance at the non-convening of DAC.

The PAC chairman said that he had written a letter to Prime Minister Imran Khan on this issue. In the letter, he informed the prime minister about the ministries and departments where DAC did not meet.

“Without DAC meetings on a monthly basis, the performance of institutions cannot be improved,” Rana Tanver said. “If the institutions do not work, then why do we have to sit here?” The committee directed to the establishment division secretary to present report in the next meeting.

The meeting also discussed the issue of non-audit of Ogra and Nepra. Audit officials told the committee that audit was conducted only of expenditure of Ogra and Nepra. The committee summoned the law secretary, establishment secretary and OGRA officials on the issue.

The committee considered the issue of acquiring of an expensive vehicle for the managing director of the Oil and Gas Development Corporation Limited (OGDCL). The MD OGDCL said that the vehicle was purchased as per the offer letter. The committee chairman said that it was a matter of the government’s policy regarding the vehicle.