PAC faces daunting audit challenge

Accountability suffers as 24,000 audit paras await scrutiny; committee chief cites far better Indian record

ISLAMABAD:

It is difficult to believe that after all the hard work from the auditor general of Pakistan (AGP) to the departmental accounts committees (DAC), the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) finds itself at the very beginning: the number of the pending audit paragraphs over the years is growing and has now passed the 24,000 figure.

PAC Chairman Rana Tanveer and members had a consensus on Thursday that the “PAC is moving in circles” as the total number of audit paras had reached to around 24,000 as opposed to hardly 100 paras pending in India.

The PAC chairman revealed that India was a far bigger country than Pakistan but there were roughly 100 audit paragraphs pending there.

In Pakistan, Tanveer said, audit paras for the years 2011-12 were still pending and when finally, action was taken, it emerged that the person concerned had either retired or passed away.

Though the AGP was hesitant to confirm the total number of pending paras in India but he informed the committee that roughly 24,000 audit paras were pending in Pakistan, which increased the workload of the PAC.

By August 2018, he said, a total of 18,500 audit paras were pending, adding that roughly 2,000 to 2,200 new paras were added every year making the total pending paras around 23,000 to 24,000.

In November 2019, Tanveer who had replaced PML-N president Shehbaz Sharif as PAC chief, had vowed to improve the committee’s functioning.

After almost a year, Tanveer expressed that “national and religious duty of accountability” was not being performed at DAC level despite the fact that he had written letters to highest forums, including Prime Minister Imran Khan.

The Thursday meeting of the PAC – which was responsible for examining the funds granted by parliament for government expenditures – gave tough time to the secretaries and officials concerned of the poverty alleviation and social safety division, economic affairs division, narcotics control, federal public service commission and planning and human rights ministries on account of not holding DAC meetings or holding only a few meetings throughout the year.

Tanveer reprimanded the officials for their failure to conduct DACs or holding a meeting once in a while and then hiding behind different excuses, saying “don’t bully us on the pretext of rules and regulations; we have been educated enough over the years.”

To the suggestion of PML-N’s Rohale Asghar that the chair should call the individuals in his office, Tanveer said “I have done everything from writing letters to calling them in office.”

PTI’s Sanaullah Khan Masti Khel agreed with the chair that everything should happen before PAC, saying taxpayers’ money was being wasted just because the DACs were not performing their duties and leaving everything for the PAC.

MNA Shahida Akhtar seconded Masti Khel, reminding the officials that it had long been decided that things would properly be done at DACs but the practice was not being followed.

“We need maximum disposal at DAC level,” Tanveer said.

Regretting that it was unprecedented to form sub-committees of PAC, Tanveer reminded the officials that the National Assembly had passed a decision that those violating rulings would face consequences in the shape of not getting promotions and finding adverse remarks in their Annual Confidential Report.

At this point, the AGP intervened by saying “let’s not get into blame shifting”.

He agreed to the notion that only major issues should come before PAC and all minor issues must be resolved at DAC level.

The AGP maintained that his office had started giving sectoral analysis and conducting issue-based audits to solve governance issues in the government department instead of just conducting routine audit.

PTI’s Munaza Hassan regretted that no action was taken despite agreeing with the findings at DAC level and ultimately the audit paras were presented before PAC for approval.

“Why decisions are not taken at the DAC level,” she questioned.

PML-N’s Khawaja Asif feared that the system was collapsing as audit paras remained pending even when the officials concerned were long gone.

“When DACs do not work, we find 22,000 to 24,000 paras pending before PAC,” Tanveer added.

PPP’s Hina Rabbani Khar, who participated through audio link, pointed out that chronic issues were discussed every now and then as orders were passed but not implemented saying “we end up where we were”.

Hina said DACs should resolve the chronic problems and PAC should go straight to audit paras instead of discussing the same issues.

Tanveer reiterated that “we are going round in circles”.

“Unfortunately, system has failed,” Masti Khel said, suggesting that there was dire need to look inside it.

He further suggested forming monitoring and regulation committees at department level to make DACs more effective.

“Taxpayers’ money is being wasted and everyone sitting here [at PAC] feels guilty because officials are not working at DAC level,” Tanveer concluded, requesting the officials to take responsibility or else the forum would be compelled to write letters over their poor performance.