PAC summons SC registrar again on 16th

Committee chairman says he will call the court official again if restraining order passed

ISLAMABAD:

The Public Accounts Committee of parliament on Wednesday, in connection with the Supreme Court’s audit, summoned its registrar on May 16.

Issuing a notice to the registrar, PAC Chairman Noor Alam Khan said a restraining order could not be issued against it.

“If so, I will summon [the SC registrar] again,” he added.

The PAC also directed the auditor general of Pakistan to provide a comparative review of the salaries and allowances of the president, prime minister, chief justice, federal ministers and members of parliament.

The PAC chairman said he was ready for accountability.

He continued that the chief justice of Pakistan, Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), and National Accountability Bureau (NAB) could be directed to provide the complete financial records of Noor Alam Khan, son of Muhammad Ashraf Khan, from 1929 to 2023.

The committee has issued directions to the auditor general of Pakistan to conduct an audit of the prime minister’s flour free scheme in the wake of a report of corruption worth Rs20 billion surfacing in it.

The PAC chairman asked the industries secretary  why the owners of vehicle manufacturing companies were absent from the meeting.

Defence Minister Khawaja Asif told the participants of the meeting that the system had deteriorated to the extent that cartel members were present in all regulatory authorities.

He asked the PAC chairman to order an inquiry into what rates was urea being sold to the fertiliser dealers in comparison with those being offered to the farmers.
He added that efforts were under way to benefit the fertiliser manufacturers, who had formed a monopoly.

To this, PPP MNA Khursheed Junejo replied that they were to blame for this situation.

The defence minister agreed with him that it was the politicians' fault.

The PAC later set up two sub-committees to investigate two cases. One of them will investigate the alleged under-invoicing of MG Motors as well as corruption other vehicle manufacturing companies. The other will probe into fertiliser-related cases.

The two sub-committees, which will comprise five members each, will investigate the cases in two or three meetings and submit their recommendations to the PAC.

The sub-committee that will investigate the motor manufacturing companies will be headed by PPP MNA Khursheed Junejo.

The other committee will be headed by PPP's Saleem Mandviwalla.

Speaking to the media after the meeting, the PAC chairman said Pakistan was a poor country running on loans from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank.

He added that the government was imposing taxes for the poor man, electricity was becoming more expensive with each passing day and the prices of ghee, petrol and other essential items were increasing.

He continued that at a time when the  poor were suffering, the rich were avoiding being held accountable.

“Therefore, the law has given me the right that I would like the media and the general public to see what salaries and benefits the president, prime minister, ministers, chief justice and judges receive during their service and what benefits they acquire after their retirement,” he added.