Despite the apex court’s directives, National Assembly Secretariat has failed to recover Rs59.4 million from five former lawmakers, who were disqualified by the Supreme Court for having dual nationalities, revealed a latest audit report.
The report on last year’s accounts of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) government also sought recovery of Rs16.4 million from former Secretary General to President Salman Faruqui, who was caught receiving two salaries. Interestingly, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government has defended the irregular payments to Faruqui, the audit report showed.
Disqualified in 2012 and 2013 for hiding dual nationalities in nominations papers, the five former MNAs still owe Rs59.4 million to the exchequer.
The SC had directed the former MNAs to refund all monetary benefits drawn by them for the period during which they occupied the public office.
According to the report, former MNA Farhat Muhammad Khan owes the maximum sum of Rs16.4 million. Farhat had been elected on Muttahida Qaumi Movement’s (MQM) ticket. Former PPP MNA, Farah Naz Isfahani, who was also disqualified due to dual nationality, owed Rs12.5 million to the exchequer.
Former PML-N MNA Muhammad Jamil Malik owed Rs6.5 million, Begum Shahnaz Sheikh of Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) owed Rs11.8 million and Capt (retd) Rai Ghulam Mujataba Kharal owed Rs12.2 million, according to the audit report.
“The NA Secretariat failed to effect recovery from the ex-parliamentarians,” said the auditors. They said non-recovery was in violation of the orders of the apex court and also deprived the government of its due receipts.
However, according to the assembly secretariat, letters to the former parliamentarians have been sent.
The audit report is expected to be taken up by the Public Accounts Committee once it starts discussing the audit objections pertaining to fiscal year 2012-13, which is the last year of the PPP government.
Faruqui’s case
The PPP government paid two salaries to former Secretary General to the President, according to the audit report on accounts of Presidency.
The additional payments of Rs16.4 million were made and received despite the fact that Faruqui wrote to then prime minister that “he would serve in honorary capacity and would not draw pay,” the report noted, while citing an official letter.
According to the federal auditors, in 2008 Faruqui’s salary was fixed in Management Pay Scale-I by the Establishment Division.
But in March 2012, the Establishment Division moved a fresh summary to the PM, recommending that another salary equivalent to Wafaqi Mohtasib (Federal Tax Ombudsman) be fixed besides protecting earlier salary that he was drawing. The summary was also endorsed by Ministry of Finance.
“The payment of salary, sumptuary allowance and superior judicial allowance to the officer at par with the judge of SC was irregular and unauthorized,” the auditors wrote to the President and Parliament.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 29th, 2014.
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Very well said Pervez
The Courts in Pakistan lack moral authority.......and justice can never be done or be seen to have been done by one who is himself not an example of moral rectitude.