PAC seeks details of written-off loans

ISLAMABAD - The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has sought details from the Finance Ministry regarding loans written off and producers of releasing loans from National Bank of Pakistan during the last eight years' tenure of the former President General (Retd) Pervez Musharraf.
The PAC has also sought the list of those people who got the loans written off during the last eight years.
The PAC also summoned in the next meeting the Tourism Secretary Dr. Shahzad Qaiser due to illegal use of vehicle of Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation by Federal Minister Tourism Maulana Atta-ur-Rehman.
The PAC has also called for the Secretary Housing Ministry Samiul Haq Khilji and the Director General over the violation of rules and regulations in the allotment of plots to Federal Government Employees Housing Foundation.
The PAC has sought a comprehensive report on the award of contracts to two Lahore based private companies byy Civil Aviation Authority.
PAC Chairman Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan took these decisions on the basis of news published in daily newspapers in a meeting held on Friday at Parliament House.
Riaz Husssain Pirzada, Yasmeen Rehman, Ayaz Saddiq, Riaz Fatyana, Auditor General of Pakistan Tanvir Ali Agha and other officials attended the meeting.
Audit Reports 2005-06 of Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Resources and Ministry of Religious Affairs, Zakat & Ushr were gone into. Irregularities and embezzlements amounting to Rs 343.12 million and Rs 68.82 were exposed in Ministry of Petroleum and Religious Ministry, respectively.
During discussion of Audit Report of Petroleum Ministry, PAC Chairman Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan constituted a Sub-Committee under Riaz Hussain Pirzada for probing the unauthorized expenditure of Rs 15.094 million incurred on purchase of additional vehicles without approval of the competent authority.
The Audit official told the meeting that Hydrocarbon Development Institute of Pakistan (HDIP) purchased vehicles against a payment of Rs 15.094 million and it was not included in the budget estimates submitted to Finance Department. However the Board of HDIP approved the case of purchase of vehicles, he said.
The official said that the Cabinet Division had also banned the purchase of new vehicles. Therefore the approval of Prime Minster was essential regarding the purchase of new vehicles.
Ministry of Petroleum Secretary Mahmood Salim Mahmood admitted that it was a violation of the rules.
After it the PAC Chairman asked the Sub-Committee to submit its report about this matter within one month.
In another case, the Audit official told the meeting that the Ministry purchased LPG plant worth Rs 575.503 million in 1996 which was not installed since 1996, which was a wastage of public money, he said.
The PAC Chairman sought a comprehensive report from the Ministry within a month and fixing responsibility of those officers who were involved in it.
About another case, the Audit Officer told the meeting that the Ministry awarded a contract to a firm at higher rates for afforestation at Rs 11.312 million and faced the loss of Rs 2.828 million due to payment of mobilization advance against fake bank guarantees.
He said that the OGDCL was allotted 500 and 300 acres land at Shah Bukhari and Bagerji, respectively.
He said that the land was given free of cost for a period of 30 years under national afforestation campaign by Government of Sindh. He said that the contract was awarded to Deer Ali and Brothers for Rs 11.312 million. Moreover, the advance payment of Rs 2.828 million was also made to the firm against two bank guarantees.
He said that the contractor failed to complete the work and the Ministry faced the loss of Rs 2.828 million.
On this the PAC Chairman sought an inquiry report of this case within a month from the Ministry. He also asked the Secretary to fix the responsibility of those people who were involved in it.
In reply to a question of Ayaz Saddiq about LPG quota, the Secretary said that the previous government had not any clear policy about the LPG quota.
He said that the new democratic government was taking measures for formulating a comprehensive policy about it. In this regard, he said that he held a meeting with the Prime Minister and the policy about LPG quota would be announced within a month. According to new policy, he said that the share of LPG would be awarded through open bidding.
During discussion of Audit Report 2005-06 of Religious Affairs Ministry, the PAC Chairman directed the Secretary of Religious Affairs Ministry to form its internal committee for the inquiry about the overpayment to building owners of Rs 31.992 million during the accommodation of Hujjaj in Saudi Arabia.