$8.2 billion projects under CPEC: PAC snubs Parveen Agha over failure to provide documents

The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) Tuesday snubbed Secretary Ministry of Railways Parveen Agha over her failure to provide the documents related to $8.2 billion projects under China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
The committee, which met here under the chairmanship of Syed Khursheed Ahmed Shah, addressing the secretary railways and other senior officials said that due to their irresponsive attitude, the panel meeting started after a delay of half an hour. Moreover, the ministry didn''t submit the required details of the various Pakistan Railways-related projects.
The chairman PAC warned the officials that such attitude will not be tolerated in future and directed them to ensure availability of all CPEC-related projects of the Pakistan Railways in the next meeting.
Member Committee Senator Sherry Rehman of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) expressing anger over the behaviour of the Railway Ministry officials said, "Are you here to brief the PAC or sell popcorn?"
The panel was to discuss matters related to the Railway Ministry, but the officials couldn''t bring the documents asked by the PAC. Shah said that the secretary railways should have ensured the provision of relevant documents to the committee members a week before, but she failed.
The chairman committee asked the secretary railways why the ministry failed to provide required documents and the officials replied that they are ready to share the documents with the meeting right now, which made Sherry Rehman furious who remarked that it was PAC not a popcorn shop.
The members said that the panel had to discuss various projects related to Pakistan Railways under CPEC to the tune $8.2 billion which are underway but as yet no details are available to members.
The secretary PAC in written had directed all the quarters concerned to provide necessary documents to all the committee members on the postal addresses one week prior to the meeting so that they could study the projects," member committee Mehmood Khan Achakzai said.
The chairman committee said that he is not going to take serious action against the ministry officials this time around but will not spare them next time and directed them to ensure availability of all the documents in the next meeting.
The chairman committee said that the senior government officials are considering politicians stupid; therefore, they are not acting as per directions.
Parveen Agha said that the ministry has established a separate wing to deal with the CPEC related projects. The PAC members asked the secretary railways to share the details of the person heading railways'' CPEC projects in the next meeting.
Achakzai asked the railways officials to provide all the details regarding CPEC projects of the Pakistan Railways which must include memorandum of understanding (MoU), tendering process, funding and details of companies implementing these projects.