Broadsheet Commission, other heads’ expenditures: ECC approves Rs22.7m TSG for Law, Justice Division

ISLAMABAD: The Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the Cabinet has reportedly approved Rs22.7 million Technical Supplementary Grant (TSG) for Law and Justice Division to meet expenditure on Broadsheet Commission and other heads, well informed sources told Business Recorder.

Sharing the details, sources said, in compliance with the direction of Supreme Court of Pakistan and standing directions of ECC of the Cabinet, Law and Justice Division is in process of establishing thirty additional accountability courts across the country.

For this purposes the departmental recruitment committee has moved a plan for conducting tests, and interview to hire the staff of those additional courts.

Screening tests/ interviews for the posts of BPS-01 to BPS-15 were held in the months of March and April, 2021 and the concerned staff will be on board this month.

In pursuance of Cabinet Division's Notification of January 29, 2021, the Federal Government has constituted the Broadsheet Commission under Section 3 of the Pakistan Commission of Inquiry Act, 2017 to examine the process of selection and appointment of Trouvons LLC, Broadsheet LLC and International Assets Recovery Limited (IAR).

To carry out the administration and other arrangements, Law and Justice Division has to make necessary arrangements for the provision of basic requirements/ facilities which include office accommodation, logistic support, provision of funds for current expenditure of the Commission and other requirements.

According to the Cabinet documents, Chairman of Broadsheet Commission, former Justice Azmat Saeed Sheikh did not receive any amount for inquiry of Broadsheet.

The sources said, recently Law and Justice Division has taken steps for revamping and up-gradation of library and inclusion of valuable books in the limited budget of Financial Year 2020-21, adding that phase-I of up-gradation of library has been completed and now the phase-II is underway which is to be completed in current month. Moreover, Legal Information System Wing (LIS) of Law and Justice Division requires strengthening and up-gradation on immediate basis.

According to Law and Justice Division, it has reviewed the budget for the Financial Year 2020-2021 up to January 2021 and observed that there is a shortfall of Rs22.7 million under various heads of accounts under Demand No. 106 Law and Justice Division (Secretariat) Islamabad.

Law and Justice Division informed the ECC that under Demand No. 107-other expenditure of Law and Justice Division a saving of Rs22.7 million under different IDs is available which can be surrendered and the equal amount can be given under Demand No-106-Law and Justice Division through Technical Supplementary Grant.

The matter was taken up with the Finance Division on April 1, 2021 for provision of Technical Supplementary Grant amounting to Rs22.7 million. In response Finance Division has conveyed its No Objection Certificate (NOC) through a U.O on April 20, 2021.

Law and Justice Division requested the ECC to accord its approval to surrender Rs22.7 million under Demand No.107-Law and Justice Division and an equal amount may be allowed as Technical Supplementary Grant in Current Financial Year 2020-21 under Demand No.106-other expenditure of Law and Justice Division (Secretariat) Islamabad.

The ECC, sources said, has approved Technical Supplementary Grant of Rs22.7 million.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021