The sub-committee of the Senate Standing Committee on Finance here on Tuesday appreciated the efforts of the Chairperson Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP) Rahat Kaunain Hassan for placing an effective internal audit system and audit manual to bring more transparency in the financial and administrative affairs of the commission.
A sub-committee of the Senate Committee on Finance headed by Senator Ishaq Dar here on Tuesday has given clean chit to the Chairperson of the CCP Rahat Kaunain Hassan, decided to conclude it's deliberations in another meeting on alleged mismanagement and financial irregularities in the CCP prior to her taking over as CCP Chairperson. The meeting was also attended by Senator Professor Khursheed Ahmed, Senator Haroon Khan and Senator Safdar Abbasi.
During the meeting, some of the committee members were of the view that the person who circulated an anonymous e-mail against the CCP may face criminal charges as he seemed to be one who got terminated from the Commission for causing loss to the national exchequer. While reviewing documents submitted by the Finance Ministry, all members of the committee agreed that corruption allegations were relating to the period prior to CCP chairperson appointment. It was decided that what CCP and Finance Division has informed the sub-committee would now be provided in writing and these written replies to be placed before sub-committee in it's next meeting.
The Chairman Sub-committee Senator Ishaq Dar while taking cognisance of the wrong title of the agenda, changed it as 'mismanagement' in CCP from earlier wording of 'corruption' in CCP and limited the discussion only on the replies submitted by the CCP and Finance Division on the matter.
During the meeting, the Ministry of Finance and the CCP took a plea that there are no defined rules that authorise the Parliament to take anonymous e-mail seriously. "The purpose of the exercise to investigate anonymous e-mail is to tarnish my image and the image of the CCP", said Rahat Kaunain.
CCP Chairperson further informed the committee that levelling serious allegations against CCP through anonymous e-mails was meant to deliberately diverting the focus of CCP from important investigation and enforcement actions which the CCP is right now under taking. Giving explanations of the anonymous emails would divert the attention of the CCP from its actual task of taking actions against the cartels. The CCP not only maintained the pace of enforcement but also ensured transparency in financial matters by putting in place the internal financial controls, while taking action against two senior officials. The question arises whether any law permits to investigate the anonymous email against the agency which is presently taking action against all major cartels in the country.
When Senator Haroon Khan repeatedly made allegations of conflict of interest on CCP Chairperson, by citing allegations mentioned in the anonymous email where it was alleged that her husband appeared before the commission in a telecom case and Sister of the CCP Chairperson was an employee of a telecom company, CCP Chairperson outright rejected the allegation of conflict of interest.
Rahat Kaunain categorically stated that when her husband pleaded the case of a telecom company, she separated herself from the bench conducting hearing of the case and even the inquiry was totally against the telecom companies. The outcome of the inquiry against the telecom companies clearly reflected that no favour has been given to such companies. The Chairperson cannot influence the inquiry officials, who were engaged in conducting an impartial inquiry against the telecom companies.
Chairperson CCP further stated legally there was no such binding that a blood relation cannot become a counsel and there are precedents where law firms of the judges or their relatives appeared in the courts. If someone has joined as head of the public office, whether all his relatives in the public and private sector should resign from their jobs?, she kept on saying. Senator Haroon is sitting in the committee despite belonging to sugar industry. The CCP is conducting investigation against sugar sector. Why the senator is present in this meeting?. Whether this is not conflict of interest?, Chairperson CCP raised a question before the committee.
Secretary Finance Dr Waqar Masood Khan showed full confidence in the integrity and competence of the CCP Chairperson informed that all the allegations that have been mentioned in the e-mail were relating to the period when she was working as member in CCP and not as Chairperson. During the period when Monopoly Control Authority was being converted in to CCP and former chairman chose two officials from MCA because of their vast experience for CCP and those were found guilty of financial irregularities and were not only dismissed but an amount of Rs 6.8 million have been recovered from them.
Secretary Finance further stated that the former CCP Chairman relied too much on the former DG due to his bureaucracy background and wanted to use him as bridge between the Commission and the bureaucracy.
Senator Haroon Khan, Senator Safdar Abbasi and Professor Kursheed Ahmed appreciated the performance of the CCP as well as the competence of the CCP chairperson. However, professor Khursheed was of the view that the recovery from two officials involved in financial irregularities was not enough and criminal proceedings should have been initiated against them.
Rahat said the Commission had considered initiating criminal proceedings but dropped the option as it did not want to divert its focus from its main job-enforcement of the anti-trust law. The former DG during the tenure of former Chairman CCP embezzled Rs 6.8 million. There are serious financial issues in the commission and none of the regulators are ready to pay 3 percent of the annual fee/charges as required under the law.
Now, the CCP has placed a foolproof system of internal audit in the commission and nobody can access the Admin department of the commission. A new audit manual would also be in pace to prevent any kind of financial issue as happened during the tenure of former Chairman CCP, Rahat Kaunain added. The sub committee concluded hearings on the issue anonymous email and sought some additional date from the Finance Ministry. It has also sought details of expenses on cases pleaded by the CCP in various courts.