Misuse of power: SJC reserves judgment in reference against AGP
Public Accounts Committee filed reference on corruption allegations
Public Accounts Committee filed reference on corruption allegations. STOCK IMAGE
ISLAMABAD:
The Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) has reserved its judgment over the reference, filed by the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), against Auditor General Buland Akhtar Rana on graft allegations.
The National Assembly had filed a complaint after a recommendation by the sub-committee of the PAC for disqualification of Rana as auditor general.
In August, the parliamentary watchdog had constituted a sub-committee to probe the allegations against the AGP. The committee discovered that there was truth to the allegations and recommended that a reference be filed for his disqualification under the Article 209(5) read with Article 168(5) of the Constitution.
PAC Chairman Khursheed Shah had presented the fact-finding report in the National Assembly on August 11 last year.
The report revealed how Buland Rana had withdrawn Rs4.62 million from the exchequer on account of excess salary and privileges in violation of standard rules and regulations. The findings added that he was getting 20% additional salary in comparison with a grade-22 officer, and under the monetisation policy, he availed more than Rs3.1 million between January and March 2014.
It also said that matters of revised pay slip and provisional payments to the AGP were deliberately kept hidden for attaining particular financial benefits. The committee also recommended recovering an amount of Rs4.62 million from Rana.
The fact-finding report stated that during the course of proceedings of the committee, several complaints were received in the PAC wing against the AGP that includes his Canadian nationality and passport without obtaining prior approval of the government, foreign visits without lawful permissions, possession of four different passports: three Pakistani and one Canadian, and availing long periods of leave to complete the residence requirements in Canada for immigration purposes, among other alleged abuses of power.
However, after the inquiry, Rana challenged the authority of parliament, thus refusing to attend the PAC meetings. He even prevented its staff from attending the meetings of parliament’s Oversight Committee of Accountability.
The SJC, headed by Chief Justice Nasirul Mulk, had started its proceedings over the reference against the AGP in September last year. Later on, AGP Rana himself appeared along with his counsel. The council has recorded the statements of more than 20 witnesses in this matter.
The main function of the council is to hear the complaints against superior court judges, as well as other top government functionaries such as the NAB chairman, Election Commission of Pakistan’s members, AGP, etc. The proceedings of the SJC remain in-camera, whereas the SC registrar performs the function of secretary to the council.
Plea disposed of
The Islamabad High Court on Tuesday disposed of the petition of AGP Rana, seeking the court’s directions to declare that the PAC has no authority to look into the matter of petitioner’s remuneration.
In the verdict, the single bench comprising Justice Noorul Haq N Qureshi, disposed of the petition, saying it was non-maintainable.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 22nd, 2015.
The Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) has reserved its judgment over the reference, filed by the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), against Auditor General Buland Akhtar Rana on graft allegations.
The National Assembly had filed a complaint after a recommendation by the sub-committee of the PAC for disqualification of Rana as auditor general.
In August, the parliamentary watchdog had constituted a sub-committee to probe the allegations against the AGP. The committee discovered that there was truth to the allegations and recommended that a reference be filed for his disqualification under the Article 209(5) read with Article 168(5) of the Constitution.
PAC Chairman Khursheed Shah had presented the fact-finding report in the National Assembly on August 11 last year.
The report revealed how Buland Rana had withdrawn Rs4.62 million from the exchequer on account of excess salary and privileges in violation of standard rules and regulations. The findings added that he was getting 20% additional salary in comparison with a grade-22 officer, and under the monetisation policy, he availed more than Rs3.1 million between January and March 2014.
It also said that matters of revised pay slip and provisional payments to the AGP were deliberately kept hidden for attaining particular financial benefits. The committee also recommended recovering an amount of Rs4.62 million from Rana.
The fact-finding report stated that during the course of proceedings of the committee, several complaints were received in the PAC wing against the AGP that includes his Canadian nationality and passport without obtaining prior approval of the government, foreign visits without lawful permissions, possession of four different passports: three Pakistani and one Canadian, and availing long periods of leave to complete the residence requirements in Canada for immigration purposes, among other alleged abuses of power.
However, after the inquiry, Rana challenged the authority of parliament, thus refusing to attend the PAC meetings. He even prevented its staff from attending the meetings of parliament’s Oversight Committee of Accountability.
The SJC, headed by Chief Justice Nasirul Mulk, had started its proceedings over the reference against the AGP in September last year. Later on, AGP Rana himself appeared along with his counsel. The council has recorded the statements of more than 20 witnesses in this matter.
The main function of the council is to hear the complaints against superior court judges, as well as other top government functionaries such as the NAB chairman, Election Commission of Pakistan’s members, AGP, etc. The proceedings of the SJC remain in-camera, whereas the SC registrar performs the function of secretary to the council.
Plea disposed of
The Islamabad High Court on Tuesday disposed of the petition of AGP Rana, seeking the court’s directions to declare that the PAC has no authority to look into the matter of petitioner’s remuneration.
In the verdict, the single bench comprising Justice Noorul Haq N Qureshi, disposed of the petition, saying it was non-maintainable.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 22nd, 2015.