The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) is likely to take the issue of massive corruption in the funds allocated to the Commercial Counsellors (CCs) abroad as the misuse caused severe damage to the country's reputation as well as monetary losses, informed sources in Commerce Ministry told Business Recorder.
A recent case has been surfaced when the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) while clipping the wings of a CC based in a Western European country who allegedly misappropriated hundreds of millions of rupees in various heads. The TDAP has claimed that it has saved Euro 68,000 (almost one crore rupees) in just one exhibition held in the same city of that country recently.
Previously, the TDAP had given powers to the CC to award contracts of pavilion construction, decoration, supplies and incur other expenses in organising the shows but it is alleged that the same CC was misappropriating the massive funds allocated by the TDAP.
The TDAP allocates over an amount of Rs 500 million each year to organise fairs and exhibitions abroad and the biggest chunk of this huge budget goes to a few major exhibitions where in Pakistani exporters always take keen interest to participate. "As the TDAP has saved almost an amount of rupees one crore, then the CC should be accountable for massive money he spent on previous exhibitions over the last few years by awarding contracts on extremely high rates, the sources added.
The controversial CC has been given a second extension by the ministry of commerce to as he had taken the plea in his first extension that his children are studying in the country where he is based and they would get disturbed while he pleaded in his second time extension that WTO Moot is going to be held and his presence at this occasion is very important.
As a matter of fact he has nothing to do with the WTO matter as a full-fledged team represented Pakistan in the moot and minister himself led the delegation. According to exhibitors, the CC had usurped crores of rupees with the help of a former DG Exhibitions in TDAP. The PAC had recently summoned a senior officer of TDAP to explain a number of irregularities done in the past in TDAP. This is a fit case for investigation by NAB and the Apex Court as well, the sources concluded.