Ijaz Kakakhel Islamabad
The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on Wednesday said some ministries/divisions including Prime Minister Secretariat, President House, National Accountability Bureau (NAB), Establishment Division and some others were following poor financial discipline and would be asked to carry out monthly DAC meeting regularly.
Chairman PAC Rana Tanveer said the committee will direct all these institutions, ministries/divisions to strictly follow financial discipline while spending public money.
He also blamed that several institutions could not held Departmental Accounts Committee (DAC) in their ministries/divisions which resulted creation of several audit paras.
Such financial mis-management put more burden on PAC and pile up of work.
He went on to say that there were about 28000 audit paras to be discussed by PAC in Pakistan while in India they have only to take up about 100 paras.
Chairman PAC regretted that usually the Principal Accounting Officer (PAO) could not held DAC on monthly bases, which may result resolving most of the objections of audit department.
According to rules, Rana Tanveer said every ministry/divisions were bound to hold their DAC on monthly bases.
He also said that Secretary Interior held three DACs within a month, which was a good sign for financial discipline.
The PAC expressed serious reservation over not utilizing Rs4.6 billion China grant for construction of New Gawadar International Airport during the financial year 2018-19 and was surrendered Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).
However, Director General CAA informed the PAC that there were two component of the project and the concerned about was used to be utilized by China government but the government of Pakistan has to reflect it in the annual budget.
The award for the same project was held in China, a company was given the contract and the money would be released from China direct to the contractor.
The PAC directed the audit department to look into the matter and respond the PAC within one month.
While discussing another audit para relating to Rs144.88 billion non-taking over of CAA assets at old Benazir Bhutto International Airport.
The Audit observed that proper handing and take over of CAA assets at old Benazir Bhutto International Airport to New Islamabad International Airport between PAF and CAA. The Audit department pointed out this irregularity in Sep 2019.
