ISLAMABAD: The Public Accounts Committee Thursday expressed serious concern over lapse of economic grants worth Rs58 billion during 2023-24 and detected similar financial irregularities in different ministries.
The issue came to the light during the meeting of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) to review performance of the Finance Division for 2023-24 here on Thursday.
During the meeting, Finance Secretary Imdadullah Bosal, stated that funds were surrendered by May 31 each year.
On the other hand, Chairman Public Accounts Committee (PAC), Junaid Akbar, suggested that the surrender should be done earlier. PAC member Sanaullah Khan Mastikhel criticized the financial management, stating that those requesting excessive funds should be held accountable. He also pointed out that appointments were often made based on favouritism rather than merit.
PAC also reviewed audit objections related to the Finance Division, particularly regarding the lapse of grants and the allocation of supplementary grants, which were reportedly more than double the initial budget. Riaz Fatyana questioned whether audit objections were raised on provincial dues.
The committee expressed reservations over the practice of supplementary grants and proposed a stricter approach. Riaz Fatyana suggested that if more than one percent of funds were surrendered or lapsed, the respective secretary should be removed from their position.
The PAC examined audit objections concerning Rs2.4 billion in honorarium payments to employees without formal policy approval during the fiscal year 2022-23. Audit officials stated that the payments were made in cash. The Finance Secretary defended the payments, clarifying that similar honorariums were granted across various ministries. He further noted that a new policy had been devised and was being presented to the cabinet for approval.
Riaz Fatyana questioned the rationale behind awarding honorariums, arguing that budget formulation was a fundamental duty of officials, and selective honorarium distribution violated constitutional principles. The Finance Secretary responded that these payments extended to 50-60 departments, including the staff of the National Assembly and Senate. Despite disagreements, the committee concluded the discussion, with Fatyana dissenting.
The Public Accounts Committee reviewed audit objections regarding the inability to recover financial losses incurred due to robberies and embezzlement at the Regional Directorate of National Savings Centers in Karachi. Committee members engaged in light-hearted remarks about the recovery process.
Chairman Junaid Akbar inquired about the strategy to retrieve funds from robbers, while Riaz Fatyana humorously asked whether the criminals were professional or amateur. The chairman directed that any recovered amounts should be duly verified by audit authorities.
PAC Seeks Report on NAB and FIA Cases: PAC also sought a report on the status of cases referred to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) and the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) over the past five years. Chairman Junaid Akbar asked both agencies to provide details on the number of cases sent by the PAC and their current status.
Chairman Junaid Akbar Khan announced the formation of three new subcommittees within the PAC. The first committee would be convened by Tariq Fazal Chaudhry, with members including Sanaullah Khan Mastikhel, Rana Qasim Noon, and Hina Rabbani Khar. Second committee would be convened by Syed Naveed Qamar, with members Shibli Faraz, Shazra Mansab, and Moin Amir Pirzada. The third committee would be convened by Malik Amir Dogar, with members Shazia Marri, Riaz Fatyana, and Afnan Ullah Khan.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
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