Finance ministry’s response would determine whether formal proceedings are to be initiated against auditor general. PHOTO: FILE
ISLAMABAD:
The finance ministry has brushed aside a reference filed against the Auditor General of Pakistan, The Express Tribune has learnt.
The reference, forwarded by the Human Rights Cell of the Supreme Court, sought a response against Auditor General of Pakistan (AGP) Akhtar Buland Rana’s alleged involvement in corruption.
Filed by Sardar Abdul Azeem Shakir in the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) and the Human Rights Cell, the reference carried similar charges to those that former minister of state for information Syed Sumsam Bukhari had levelled against the AGP.
Already a reference forwarded by the president to the prime minister office has been pending for over a year.
According to sources, the Human Rights Cell, which works under Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry’s supervision, sought a response within three weeks from the finance ministry against the reference, on which the ministry is yet to comment.
Sources said the finance secretary’s office was delaying a response due to unknown reasons. They added the file was sent more than once but no formal response was given.
When contacted, the finance ministry did not comment on the issue. However, officials close to the finance secretary office said the ministry would return the reference after consultations.
The ministry’s response would determine whether formal proceedings ought to be initiated in the SJC against Rana or whether the reference will be returned, sources said.
Constitutionally, only the SJC can remove the auditor general. The council is headed by the chief justice along with two senior-most judges of the apex court and two Chief Justices of the provincial high courts.
In September 2012, the complainant, Azeem Shakir, pleaded that the post of the AGP is of critical importance as it protects the public interest and safeguards public money.
However, he alleged in the reference that “the AGP is performing his duties in a manner that does not deem him worthy of holding the prestigious office.”
Published in The Express Tribune, June 1st, 2013.
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Present Courts are free, independent but has yet to prove its impartiality. Hopefully it will learn that the primary purpose of any court is fairness.