The Public Accounts Committee on Saturday directed the Ministry of Kashmir and Northern Areas (Kana) to submit report on embezzlement of the PWD officials within two weeks.
The committee, which met with Malik Allah Yar Khan in the chair here at the Parliament House, also expressed its displeasure over the misleading statements of federal secretary Kana, chief secretary Northern Areas and secretary water and power while directing them to present factual position before the committee.
Reviewing the audit paras of 2000-01 pertaining to the Ministry, the Committee took serious note of non-utilisation of special grant for wheat subsidy. Secretary Kana pleaded that the concerned section officer had surrendered the amount without his consent, but the members were not satisfied with the reply of the secretary and asked him not to misguide the committee.
"Secretary being a principal accounting officer should perform his duty judiciously and dutifully."
Auditor General of Pakistan, Yunas Khan informed the committee that AGP had appointed 60 officers of grade 20 in different ministries but the ministries did not cooperate with them. At this point, the committee directed all the ministries to cooperate with the officials to make not only the affairs transparent but also to strengthen the internal audit system, they observed.
The situation became tense when Secretary Water and Power, Nasir Ali Shigree produced false statement and avoided to disclose the names of M/s Technocrats for over-payment of Rs 8.8 million. But, upon insistence by Hafiz Hussain Ahmed, Secretary Water and Power, told the Committee that the culprits were blacklisted.
The committee also directed concerned departments to report within fifteen days for over-payment of Rs 5.5 million to different contractors and financial deficit of Rs 3.8 million in Northern Areas Transport Company (Natco).
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