Utilisation of additional funds by provinces: Senate panel seeks audit report

Senate Standing Committee on Finance has sought audit details about utilisation of additional amount transferred to the provinces during the last two years after implementation of the 7th NFC Award. The committee directed the Auditor General of Pakistan (AGP) to furnish details of the audit as the committee wanted to know how the amount was utilised.
A member of the committee said that provinces have received huge amount after the NFC award that enhanced their share to 57.5 percent in the divisible pool. The committee also recommended to Balochistan government to immediately constitute the Public Account Committee (PAC) after senior officials of AGP asserted that there was no PAC in the province for financial accountability of the government. Additional Auditor General said that the PAC has been constituted by the other three provinces. The meeting was held with its Chairman Nasreen Jalil to have a briefing from the AGP about its role, responsibility, functions and performance. The Chairman of the Committee remarked that the role of the office of AGP is very important for the accountability of the public sector and improvement of financial governance in the country.
Senator Ilyas Balour of Awami National Party (ANP) who criticised the provincial government sarcastically stated that PAC was not constituted because there was no one in the Assembly to head it as all members of the provincial assembly were made ministers. He said that there is only opposition leader in the Balochistan. Senator Islam-ud-Din Sheikh of ruling party disagreed with Ilyas Balour and stated that around four members of the provincial assembly were not made ministers. Officials of AGP said that during the audit year 2011-12, audit of federal, provincial, and districts entities was carried out with the audited outlays of Rs 4.474 trillion, including receipts and expenditures.