ISLAMABAD: Public Accounts Committee (PAC) Chairman Khurshid Shah on Thursday claimed that the receivables of power distribution companies (DISCOs) had reached Rs 365 billion – including power pilferages – but in the same breath said that this amount should not be added to the electricity bills of consumers who were paying their dues regularly. The chairman said the power distribution companies usually included the pilfered amount in the electricity bills of consumers who paid their bills regularly. “Such a practice on part of power distribution companies is unjust,” he said, directing the ministry concerned to stop this practice. Audit officials pointed out in their audit report for the year 2013-14 that Rs 278 billion worth of receivables were pending, and asked for recovery. The PAC was informed that the cost of electricity from Nandipur Power Project stood at Rs 7.25 per unit. On this, Water and Power Secretary Younus Dagha admitted that the dual fuel power plant was producing electricity at a higher cost, and said that the cost “will reduce when it (power plant) starts running on gas”. He further said that the Nandipur power plant was not efficient on oil, but it would give better efficiency on gas. “The power plant’s electricity production cost varies, but last month the production cost was Rs 7.25 per unit,” he added. He further revealed that it was producing approximately 250 megawatts, but it produced 425MW on full capacity on oil. To make the power plant more efficient, he said that a gas pipeline was being laid. “The power plant will be run on LNG in the future. It is expected that international prices of LNG will sustain, and further reduce for a longer period, as dependence of developing countries on shale gas is increasing,” he added. Committee member Shafqat Mahmood pointed out that power distribution companies were charging consumers for the pilfered electricity in the bills, which was unjust. However, he said that the new system of billing – mobile meter reading – introduced across the country had minimised the incidents of pilferage. In a case of irregular release of penalty amount to the tune of Rs 34.7 million – deducted on account of late supply of vaccines – the secretary assured the committee that an enquiry would be completed within 15 days. The committee was also informed that the National Institute of Health (NIH) had constructed 68 shops illegally and rented the same out to employees, who further rented it out to the next parties. The committee was told that the shops would be demolished due to security risk for the NIH. The committee directed the officials concerned to submit details of the allottees. The committee also reviewed the cases the PAC had referred to the NAB, and sought details in this regard. Rana Mushtaq reports: Meanwhile, the PAC asked the interior secretary to initiate criminal proceeding against the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) official who had allegedly dismissed corruption charges against National Council for Homoeopathy (NCH) Chairman Prof Akhtar who reportedly embezzled more than Rs 36 million. PTI senior leader and MNA Shafqat Mehmood lamented the sorry state affairs in the FIA, and said that the agency was set up to curb corruption from society and guard national interests, but the personnel were looking to protect the interests of the corrupt officials who had been plundering the national kitty relentlessly. The PAC also sought details and explanation from the NAB chairman about the corruption cases referred by the PAC and directed him to submit a compliance report. The idea was floated by PAC members Chaudhry Junaid and Arshad Laghari, who stated that the committee should set up its own prosecution branch that could investigate corruption cases, as all other anti-corruption organs of the state had “now become dysfunction due to corruption in their own ranks”. The auditor general submitted that Prof Akhtar purchased 27 marlas for Rs 56 million to construct the NCH office in Rawalpindi near the airport in 2010, and added that the land’s price was way above the market rate. The then secretary of the Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination enquired the matter and found that the plot’s actual price was Rs 20 million, adding that the NCH official embezzled Rs 36 million. The matter was referred to the FIA for criminal enquiry and to retrieve the plundered money, but the agency’s investigation office – Inspector Kashif Awan – dismissed the charges against the accused on the basis of a report written by the accused. The ministry’s current secretary, Ayub Shaikh, admitted before the committee that there was enough evidence of corruption against the accused. On this, the PAC told the secretary to hold a fresh enquiry, and directed the Interior Ministry to hold criminal proceedings against the FIA official who allegedly dismissed all corruption charges against the accused.