ISLAMABAD - A special report on the matter of non-appearance of Principal Accounting Officer (PAO) of Supreme Court before the PAC for examination of accounts on Wednesday was presented in the NA with the recommendation that the matter may be resolved through further debate in the Lower House.The special report presented by Chairman Public Accounts Committee (PAC) by PPP legislator Nadeem Afzal Chann in its three recommendations says the “Assembly may consider the feasibility of adopting all the lawful methods to ensure compliance of the relevant provisions of law so that all the pending audit reports relating to the Supreme Court may be examined in the presence of its Principal Accounting Officer (PAO)”.It also recommends that all efforts may be made to avoid confrontation and tussle between the institutions and the matter may be resolved through further debate in the National Assembly.According to the report, the Committee unanimously decided to place this special report of the PAC, under rule 234 of the rules of procedure and conduct of business in the National Assembly, 2007, before the House. The Committee comprises Chairman Nadeem Afzal Chann, Noor Alam Khan, Yasmeen Rehman, Ch.Saeed Iqbal, Ali Musa Gilani, Khawaja Asif, Zahid Hamid, Riaz Fatiyana, Noor ul Haq Qadri, Wasim Akhtar and others. The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) had already announced on December 18 that it has decided to tell the Parliament about the Supreme Court Registrar’s refusal to appear before the Committee and send a reference to the legislative House to decide his fate.The PAC had summoned Dr Faqir Hussain to explain court’s position against audit objections raised by Auditor General of Pakistan. The Registrar did not appear before the Parliamentary Committee ,prompting the PAC to hold an in-camera session to decide about the next step against him over his non-appearance for the second time.It may be mentioned here that the PAC has already been informed that the law and the Constitution warrants that the Registrar of the Supreme Court is not required to appear before it. The issue of Registrar appearance before PAC has been discussed in many Full Court meetings wherein it was decided that under the Constitution as well as the law, the PAC is not competent to scrutinise the accounts of the Supreme Court, hence the Registrar is not required to appear before it.The court referred Preamble of the Constitution states, “... it is the will of the people of Pakistan to establish an order; Wherein the independence of the judiciary shall be fully secured.” In this context of the matter, the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) vide its letter No.F.1(1)/2011/JS (PAC) dated 29.11.2012 again approached the Supreme Court asking for appearance of the Registrar before its meeting to be held on 14th December, 2012.The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has been informed vide Supreme Court’s letter No.F.1-7/2008-2009/B&A dated 11.12.2012 that in view of the decisions taken by the Full Court meetings, based on provisions of the Constitution and law, the Registrar, Supreme Court is not required to appear before the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) meetings.

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