KARACHI - The Public Accounts Committee of Sindh Assembly on Tuesday asked for providing list of vehicles and names of the officials who were using government transport, their entitlements and number of vehicles being used. The committee issued this directive after it came to light that Rs10.268 million were spent on hiring of vehicles during years 2001-04. It has also asked to furnish the computerised record of vehicles. The committee held a meeting on Tuesday under the chair its head Sardar Jam Tamachi to consider the audit report of Services, General Administration and Coordinating Department for year 2003-04. Director General Audit, in his report, pointed out irregular expenditure incurred on hiring of vehicles amounting to Rs10.286 million. On scrutiny of the accounts record of the office of Director General Protocol, Services, General Administration and Coordination Department, it was observed that an amount worth Rs10.286 million was spent for hiring charges of vehicles during the years 2001-2004. The report said neither tender was invited nor hiring of vehicles was arranged through rate contract. Moreover, the vouchers of an expenditure of Rs490, 458/- pertaining to the year 2003-04 were also not produced to the audit. The irregularity was pointed out in April 2005. In reply, the department stated that vehicles were hired after obtaining prior approval of the concerned secretary. In the PAC meeting, the department was directed to furnish revised reply with full justification. Secretary S&GDA, Hashim Zaidi, said that though the department has enough vehicles but it needed more vehicles to cater to its day-to-day requirements because the VIPs raised objection over the change of drivers due to security clearance. He added the department had hired vehicles during the visits of MNAs, Senators and other dignitaries. He informed that protocol department has 74 vehicles in its pool but hired 1300 cc to 1600 cc vehicles. He said that department has purchased six vehicles for judges of Supreme Court. Chairman PAC Jam Tamachi said that on the one hand the department has given vehicles to not entitled persons from its pool while public money was being spent on hired vehicles. He observed that during previous regime, a number of vehicles were missing and some persons without any entitlement were using them. He said in some cases the party workers had used vehicles for years while the MNAs and Senators, who visited the city off and on, did not ask for luxury vehicles. He asked the secretary S&GDA to furnish the list of vehicles and names of the officials who were using government vehicles. He also asked to provide the verified computerised record of the vehicles. On a query from PAC member Amir Moeen, the secretary informed that according last year the total budget of department stood at Rs1.1 million. However, after arguments and counter augments the para was deferred till next meeting. The audit pointed out non-account of stores of Rs7.218 million incurred during the year 2003-04 on various purchases and repairs. However, Director Audit Sindh, M. Ghayoor Suri said that pace of audit work had been accelerated after the incumbent secretary S&GDA assumed the charge. The audit report identified unjustified payment of service charges on POL of Rs165, 081. It said that during the course of audit, it was noticed that an amount of Rs165, 081 was paid to M/S Corps Services Station and Noor Petroleum Services on account of service charge at the rate of one percent of the total amount of POL purchased. The irregularity was pointed out in April 2005. The office replied that the payment of one percent was made as per agreement approved by Chief Secretary. However, copy was not provided to audit. In the meeting, the department was directed to discontinue payment of service charges immediately and get the expenditure regularised from finance department. The audit report pointed out non-production of record of expenditure of Rs5.2 million. It said that the said expenditure was incurred during the year 2003-04 under various heads of account but the relevant record was not produced to audit for scrutiny. Secretary S&GDA informed the meeting that the record comprising about 1000 files was available for audit. DG Audit Ghayoor Suri said that over one-month time was required for the audit team to scrutinise the record. The audit pinpointed non-utilisation of amounts relating to discretionary power of provincial minister. It also pointed out that major portion of saving related to leave salaries/encashment of LPR, which was settled after arguments.