A delegation of Public Accounts Committee (PAC) comprising Yasmin Rehman, Aftab Shahban Mirani, Zahid Hamid and Nadeem Afzal Chan of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) are participating in 14th 'International Anti-Corruption Conference' 2010 (IACC), being held from 10-13 November 2010 in Bangkok, Thailand.
In this connection, they held half an hour meeting with Chair Transparency International, Ms Huguette Labelle on Thursday. Ms Labelle welcomed the members of PAC on behalf of TI and said that it would be beneficial that such bodies of other countries also attend IACC, saying she would push them for a strong parliament in these countries. She also said countries should ensure action on audit reports and welcomed 'zero tolerance for corruption', announced by government of Pakistan after the release of Corruption Perception Index (CPI) 2010.
She informed the delegation that the CPI causes disturbance in a lot of countries. She said 'TI doesn't wake up and issue CPI. The survey is (also) done by other parties such as WB, ADB, WEF etc, and a group of methodologist works on these results. TI's results of CPI are similar to the survey results by these parties, she maintained.
Earlier, Yasmeen Rehman informed the chair of TI that PAC has a backlog of 12 years, and that they have cleared six years' of backlog, whereas the rest is to be cleared by end of next year. She apprised the meeting that PAC has achieved tangible outcome, resulted in netting half a billion dollars and that politics comes last at PAC.
Zahid Hamid Khan said PAC has recommended legal improvements for strengthening audit laws and constitutional amendments, proposed by government organisations and autonomous bodies, to be audited by AG office. Hamid informed that a new accountability law amendment is being passed and both major parties are working hand in hand, while the details of accountability bill are being ironed out as the Prime Minister is stressing to evolve consensus.-PR