ISLAMABAD: The toothless Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of the National Assembly could not stay on its decision regarding issuance of summons to the heads of departments who were absent on Thursday to discuss the issue of Panama leaks.
“We have issued show cause letters to the foreign affairs secretary, Security and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) chairman, State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) governor and Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) director general, seeking written explanation on their absence from the PAC meeting even after issuance of notices prior to the meeting,” sources from the PAC Secretariat disclosed to Daily Times on Friday.
Heads of the abovementioned departments would have to clear their position with documents and evidences that they were with the prime minister or their engagements were more important than the PAC meeting, sources added.
The PAC meeting on Panama leaks has now been summoned on September 20 while notices have been issued to all concerned officials, including the foreign affairs secretary, FIA chairman, SECP chairman and SBP governor, to ensure participation.
Sources disclosed that Finance Secretary Waqar Masood requested PAC Chairman Khursheed Ahmad Shah to change the decision regarding issuance of summons to the abovementioned four heads of departments but Shah refused with a plea that it was the decision of the entire PAC and not one person. On this, the finance secretary used the influence of Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, who made a contact with the PAC chairman after which the decision to issue summons to the absentee heads has been reversed. On the directions of PAC high ups, only show cause issued notices were issued to them.