PAC seeks progress on references against Benazir

A subcommittee of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on Friday sought from the Attorney General of Pakistan (AGP) the progress on references filed against Benazir Bhutto during 1990-92. The subcommittee, however, regularised Rs 28 million expenditures incurred by AGP on framing and filing these references.
The meeting expressed serious concerns over what it said the clumsy working of the Federal Land Commission, and recommended to the government to consider its abolition.
The directive against the commission came when it was told that 767 land reforms related cases were still pending in different courts for the last 34 years.
The subcommittee gave these directions while discussing the audit objections raised by the Auditor General of Pakistan regarding accounts of the Cabinet Division and its attached departments for the year 1995-96.
The AGP had pointed out that the Attorney General had incurred expenditures of Rs 28 million, beyond his entitlement, for the preparation of some 18 references against Benazir Bhutto during 1990-92.
The committee regularised the expenditures after the Cabinet Secretary briefed it that the Attorney General was empowered to make these expenditures by the then President, Law, Finance and Cabinet Divisions to meet the expenses.
Chairman Riaz Fatiana, however, expressed surprise that the government spent a hefty amount of Rs 28 million without any achievement.
"The committee regularises these expenses. However, it would like to know the current position of the references, in its next meeting, weather they were withdrawn or still stand pending in courts," he ruled.
"The committee directs the Federal Land Commission to settle all cases in the next six months and report back to the committee. We also recommend to the government to consider abolishing Federal Land Commission to save millions of rupees from the national exchequer for the day-to-day expenses of the Commission," he said.
He said that it was very strange that the first land reforms took place in 1972, followed by second one in 1977, but hundreds of cases were still pending in courts.
He expressed these views when the committee was told that full amount of Rs 2.774 million allocated for land reforms was surrendered unused. He said that 33 percent of total population of the country was living below the poverty line on the one side while their cases were still pending for settlement with the Federal Land Commission for the last many years.
"We will call the federal as well as provincial land commissioners before the full PAC to explain this delay causing hardships for the poor people," Fatiana said.