PAC irked over performance of senior officials of ministry

The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) Thursday expressed displeasure over the senior officials of Ministry of Information Technology for their inability to rein in corrupt elements. A meeting of the subcommittee of the PAC held here under the chairmanship of Sardar Ashiq Hussain Gopang to review and discuss audit objections of the Ministry of Information Technology for the years 2008-09 and 2009-10. The secretary Ministry of Information Technology while briefing the panel said that his ministry will implement the directions of the PAC in letter and spirit to resolve the financial embezzlement in the purchase of computers in year 2007.
He said that two earlier inquires had not identified the officials responsible for the said fraud. He said that his ministry will take stern action as per the directions of the PAC against the culprits and requested the committee to give some time to the authorities to take appropriate action against the people involved in corruption. The officials raised an audit objection regarding the theft of computers and printers at Sheikh Zaid Hospital Lahore, wherein a first information report (FIR) was registered, but in 2014 the minister for information technology handed over the case to Punjab authorities.
Member committee Dr Arif Alvi asked the officials what action has been taken against the culprits as per first inquiry report, adding that all the people held responsible in the inquiry report disappeared from the scene including head of nephrology department of Sheikh Zaid Hospital. Alvi said that no junior official can steal equipments worth Rs 4.4 million.
According to audit officials, the Information Ministry in 2014 withdrew the case and even released the salaries of the person held responsible for the misappropriation by the inquiry committee. The secretary Ministry of Information Technology responding to audit objections said that the ministry took all steps as per the recommendations of the inquiry committee and the accused person was an employee of Sheikh Zaid Hospital, adding that at present he has got bail from the court.
He went on to say that the all record of the case has been handed over to the provincial government. He also requested the panel to give him time to collect record from the provincial government to provide it to the PAC. On the request of secretary Ministry of Information Technology, the panel gave a month time to the ministry to get all the record and submit it with the panel.