PAC decisions should not be taken as joke: Yousafzai

Public Accounts Committee (PAC) Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly has warned that decisions of the committee should not be considered joke, saying their implementation is the responsibility of the concerned departments. The meeting of the KP PA held in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa House, Abbottabad on Monday with MPA Shaukat Ali Yousafzai in the chair while PTI MPA Qurban Ali also attended the meeting.
The meeting reviewed in detailed progress on the implementation of the previous decisions of the committee and made it clear that enforcement of the decisions will be guaranteed in any circumstances and no excuses will be tolerated in this regard. The committee said that besides the available record the PAC makes composite decisions after thorough debate and getting the stances of the departments. The committee said that decisions taken and directives issued by the PAC are for the concerned departments and its implementation is also their responsibility. The PAC also made it clear that chairman of the committee, Speaker, KP Assembly, Asad Qaiser is very serious in the implementation of the decisions and want to guarantee their enforcement in any circumstances.
On this occasion, the chair, Shaukat Ali Yousafzai said that the committee will use all possible means for the implementation of its decisions and warned the concerned departments to avoid misguiding of the committee through presenting wrong facts and figures. Otherwise, stern action would be taken against the responsible officials. MPA Qurban Ali Khan said that some departments do not present before the committee with full preparation and record, which result in putting the department's concerned in difficulties itself and waste the precious time of the committee.
The committee was of the view that follow up is best way to judge the performance of the departments and its basic purpose is to make bound the concerned departments to the directives of the panel. He said that government authorities should be accountable for suspension and delay in the implementation of the decisions of the committee. The PAC also made it clear that in future in case of the non-implementation of the decisions, the responsible authorities will face action. The PAC further clarified that the authorities of the departments not take the orders of the committee seriously will not only be made accountable rather action will also be taken against them. The committee said that misquoting before the committee is intolerable and cognisable act. The chair also stressed that the committee can make recovery from each responsible person and on the other hand can also return wrongful recoveries from employees. However, he asked all departments to come for coming to PAC will full preparation and clarify position on the spot and avoid the reopening of the previous decisions of the committee. The committee made it clear that reforming of the system is the responsibility of PAC and is fully aware of its responsibilities in this regard. During the meeting the Audit Department adopted the stance that each year only 10% of the record of the public sector organisations is audited and due to the shortage of the audit staff 90% record could not be audited.