High Commissioner of Pakistan to UK: accommodation to cost exchequer Rs 36 million per year

Rental accommodation of the High Commissioner of Pakistan to UK will cost the exchequer Rs36 million per year at a time when the country is facing economic crunch. The case was discussed in a special committee of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on Thursday.
Reviewing the implementation status of PAC's directives on the audit reports for the year 1999-2000 of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, an official disclosed that Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani approved 120,000 pounds sterling for rental accommodation of High Commissioner of Pakistan to UK for just six months. The amount was released on the estimates given by the Foreign Office that the renovation work of the High Commission would be done in six months.
Breaching the government regulations, Committee Member Sardar Ayaz Sadiq claimed that the High Commissioner signed a rental contract with an individual for a period of one year. The accommodation has been rented out against 5,400 pounds sterling per week (Rs3 million per month). "The High Commissioner has signed the contract beyond his entitlement," he added.
This does not end here. Sardar Ayaz hinted that a deal may have been brokered through Regional Pak Agent 'Imran' for a swap, like Embassy of Tokyo which made headlines in the past.
To save the costly government property, the committee directed the Secretary Foreign Affairs, Salman Bashir to look into the matter and not allow a swap if he finds some move in this connection.
Responding to a query of the committee members, Salman Bashir said federal government has decided to contest the case filed in the US court against ISI involvement in Mumbai (India) terrorist attack. "We have consulted the relevant departments and all agreed to proceed with this," he said.
The committee also questioned the Foreign Office's directive issued through Cabinet Division, which banned government functionaries from having direct contact with any foreign missions/foreign dignitaries. The secretary replied that all the government functionaries except foreign dignitary, coming on the Foreign Office request were not allowed to meet them under the government policy.
He said it was breach of diplomatic immunity if any diplomat visits another station without prior approval of concerned authority of the host country. He said it was primarily for the safety of diplomats who have been residing in Pakistan.
Taking decision on embezzlement of $118.856 and pesos 26.476 million, highlighted in the special audit of the accounts of Embassy of Pakistan Mexico in 1992-97, the committee directed the Foreign Office to ask the interior ministry to get FIR registered against the officials involved and recover the amount.
The committee blamed the Ministry of Industries and the Ministry of Finance for backing the management of National Investment Trust (NIT). Those are the same who played a major role in Karachi Stock Exchange crash in March 2005, the member of the committee alleged.
The PAC also rejected the inquiry report being conducted by the Ministry of Industries without considering the recommendations of the PAC in which action was taken against the management of NIT for irregular transfer of shares of a government entity to private investors.
On this point, Sardar Ayaz directed to constitute another committee under the ministry of finance and the ministry of industries and production to fix responsibility and report to the PAC secretariat. He said the share had been transferred to private sector without prior approval from the ministry of finance and the Privatisation Commission.
The Auditor General of Pakistan observed that total liability of NIT reached Rs. 3.314 billion. Out of this Rs 1523 million is a tax liability. Rest Rs 1700 million was equity of the government, he added.
The committee made it clear that the decision to refer the case to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) will be taken after the findings of the newly constituted committee. However, an official of the NAB disclosed to PAC that the bureau had conducted an inquiry into the case.
Sardar Ayaz said despite facing life threat he would not let the costly land of Peco transfer to private party on throwaway price. The total value of the land calculated by the Punjab Land Revenue was Rs14.024 billion. He claimed that the NIT management is desperate to sell it against Rs 8 million for personal benefit.
According to the report of the PAC, the main interest of the private investors was in Peco's land in Badami Bagh and Kotlakhpat, both prime locations of Lahore.
The monitoring and implementation committee of the PAC was chaired by Yasmeen Rehman and Sardar Ayaz Sadiq. The committee reviewed the implementation of the ministry of industries and production and the ministry of foreign affairs.