ISLAMABAD: The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on Wednesday directed ministries and attached departments to submit lists of defaulters to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) so that they clear their dues before the general elections.

Noor Alam Khan chaired the meeting of the PAC where the ECP secretary responded to the queries of the committee members on various issues.

He further directed the ECP to send notices to those who used the KP government’s helicopter without any fear after receiving the list from the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).

The accountability bureau is doing inquiry into Rs70 million bill sent by the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Government to the federal government over the utilisation of helicopter by former prime minister Imran Khan and others.

Member Committee Shahida Akhtar Ali remarked that one name was not made public who used the helicopter unofficially and is planning to contest election from nine constituencies.

Earlier, Members of the Pakistan Muslim League (N) had also tabled proposals to stop any individual from contesting election from nine constituencies simultaneously.

Barjis Tahir remarked that the ECP had double standards for the poor and the influential. He said the election laws for Imran Khan were not implemented while the other contestants are supposed to follow them.

Referring to one such example, Noor Alam Khan said that Pervaiz Rasheed was disqualified following he was declared a defaulter. He further directed to issue notice to the chairman PTI for using inappropriate language against the armed forces.

The PAC also examined the appropriation accounts for the year 2018-19 for the Ministry of Privatization, the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony, and the Pakistan Nuclear Regulatory Authority (PNRA).

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022