The Supreme Court on Friday summoned former Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf for utilising 42 billion rupees in excess of budgeted PM's discretionary fund. Issuing notice to the former Premier to appear on July 16, the court said that assistance would be sought from Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to trace out the recipients of funds.
A three-judge bench of Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry resumed the hearing of a suo motu against distribution of PM's unbudgeted discretionary funds and barred the concerned department from releasing more funds from PWDP-II; and directed them to assist the court and Attorney General for Pakistan (AGP) in the matter.
The court also granted permission to the recipients of the fund who were neither Members of the National Assembly (MNA) nor Senators but spent funds through People's Works Development Program PWDP-I and PWDP-II to inform the court about their stance.
During the course of proceedings, AGP Munir A Malik apprised the court that the then Prime Minister had violated rules and regulations of Planning Commission of Pakistan (PC) by releasing un-budgeted developments funds.
Representatives of Auditor General of Pakistan told the apex court that the PM had the authority to utilise discretionary funds for development projects. However, the PM was bound to get permission from the concern ministries before shifting funds from national development projects to local development projects. They contended that former PM Raja Pervez Ashraf did not comply with the rules and regulations.
The CJP labelled the release of Rs 20 million to an officer of a Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to convene a meeting from development funds as "extreme of corruption" and observed that Raja Pervez Ashraf had released billions of rupees through PM's discretionary funds, which was a clear violation of rules and regulations.
Justice Ejaz Ahmed Chaudhry while expressing dissatisfaction with the incumbent government's measures to recover billions of rupees, asked the AGP to inform the court whether or not the government wanted to save national money or not. He maintained that funds were utilised to muster public support during the general elections 2013 and queried why the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) was silent on the issue.
Meanwhile, the AGP assured the court that the matter would be brought to the knowledge of the federal government.
Director General (DG) Pakistan Public Works Development (PWD) Sarwar Awan told the apex court that Rs 140 million was released to three individuals from Chakwal District under the PM's discretionary funds: Rs40 million was released to Col Ghulam Saleem (retd), Rs 50 million to Malik Muhammed Amir and Rs 50 million to Fasil Majeed.
The court while adjourning the proceeding of the case till July 16, sought the production of a notification issued in 1984, which authorised the PM to release development grants to public representatives.
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