PAC seeks details of billions collected for road cutting

Towns in the metropolis have been asked to explain where billions of rupees collected from gas companies and other institutions for road cutting have gone, after officials failed to provide the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of the Sindh Assembly with a consolidated account of the funds and their utilisation.

The PAC, chaired by Nisar Ahmed Khuhro, directed the Local Government Department to develop a mechanism for monitoring development works carried out by all Karachi towns and submit town-wise details of road-cutting funds and their expenditure.

The issue came up during a PAC meeting on Thursday attended by Local Government Department officials and town municipal commissioners. The committee was reviewing audit paras concerning Jinnah Town Municipal Corporation.

Jinnah Town officials told the committee that the town had received Rs800 million in road-cutting charges, while development works worth Rs300 million had been tendered through National Invitation to Tender (NIT).

Khuhro sought a list of the development schemes included in the Rs300 million NIT and directed officials to provide details of funds received by every Karachi town from Sui Southern Gas Company and other institutions for road cutting, along with their utilisation.

Local government officials admitted that different towns had received varying amounts over different periods but could not provide the PAC with details of the funds received or how they had been spent.

The committee subsequently sought complete town-wise records of billions of rupees received from SSGC and other institutions for road cutting and their utilisation.