Auditor General of Pakistan (AGP) Akhtar Buland Rana has said that the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) does not take action on mega scandals in which high government officials are involved.
Speaking in a PAC meeting on Thursday in Parliament House, he said, “We took up the case of rental power projects but the PAC did not discuss it. Later the Supreme Court took action on it and the recovery, which was to be made through the auditor general’s office, was made on the orders of the apex court.”
He said the PAC chairman had ensured the AGP’s office to bring the cases of mega corruption scandals under discussion in February. He said the AGP’s reports in which the government was exposed were put under cover due to which the apex court had to take suo motu action. He said the reports on mega scandal would surface after the retirement of the persons involved.
In response, PAC Chairman Nadeem Afzal Gondal said the AGP should not be fond of suo motu actions because that would harm him. PAC member Yasmin Rehman said the SC should also submit its audit report so that the proceedings of the PAC could be completed.
The committee also expressed resentment over the non-submission of record by former Ministry of Youth Affairs, which was devolved after the 18th Amendment. The committee also directed the Ministry of Education to trace out the lost record.
Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) Chairman Raghib Shah told the committee that the National Insurance Company Limited (NICL) did not make insurance payment of WAPDA machinery so the department got insurance policy from another company. In response, the PAC chairman directed the NICL to pay Rs 300 million of insurance money to WAPDA.