Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: After just ten minutes of proceedings, a clean chit was given to interior, science and technology ministries. The audit objection of Rs 5 billion on appropriation accounts by the public accounts committee of the National assembly was quashed.

The PAC sub committee was chaired by the Naveed Qamar of PPP on Thursday at parliament house and attended by Junaid Anwaar Chaudhry and Sahibzada Nazir Sultan as well. The PAC had to discuss the audit objections of the Interior Ministry and the Ministry of Science and Technology during former president Pervez Musharraf’s time at the helm. The secretary and senior staff were summoned by PAC sub committee to answer the audit objections regarding both ministries and its attached departments.

The PAC did not even ask the interior ministry about the detail of expenditures of a $56 million dollar US package that was given to enhance security and surveillance on Pakistan’s western border. Under this package, various items and equipment was supplied to Pakistan at that time.

Audit raised the objection that an amount of Rs 3.29 billion was surplus to requirement. This should have been adjusted in time through supplementary grants but in practice, this was not followed up by the ministry. PAC’s convener did not ask a single question regarding excess expenditures, and the failure to surrender the money in time.

The audit demanded that in Islamabad, there was a need to revise the rates of stamp duty but Naveed Qamar overruled the AG demand and settled the para. Sources disclosed that this subcommittee meeting cost Rs 1,000,000 to the national exchequer, but it continued for just ten minutes and the nation paid Rs 100,000 for a minute’s proceedings. Nothing was recovered because PAC members, AG staff, and officers from other cities would claim travel and daily allowances while this important forum’s basic aim was to save the nation’s time and money. Instead, it had wasted Pakistan’s time and money in profligate manner.