ISLAMABAD: The Public Accounts Committee (PAC), on Thursday, sought details of rented accommodations for mission abroad, especially in the USA, and the recent correspondence between the Foreign Office and the US administration and the UK government over their alleged interference in the internal matters of Pakistan.

Noor Alam Khan chaired a meeting to examine the Audit Report 2021-22 of Foreign Affairs. However, the chaired has pended the audit examination following non-appearance of Foreign Affairs secretary in the meeting. He said in the next meeting, the officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs should brief on certain observations raised by the committee members.

Member Committee Saleem Mandviwalla asked the special secretary Foreign Affairs whether the meeting of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif with the Iranian President on Thursday was pre-planned or sudden as it was a very significant move.

The chairman committee asked the officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, about the spacious and expensive places hired on rent for Pakistani diplomats in New York which the country cannot afford at this stage.

The Chairman also sought details of any correspondence held recently between Pakistan and the US Administration and the UK government over their alleged interference in Pakistani internal matters. He further asked director generals of various desks in the Foreign Office dealing with various regions.

He also sought details of four-year travel history, expenses, and other expenditures of NADRA Technologies Limited (NTL) which is a wholly-owned subsidiary of NADRA. “It has been brought to my notice that their one-day expense is $1,000 per day in some cases,” he added.

Earlier, a member of the committee, Wajiha Qamar, asked about the current status of the Indus Water Treaty with India as India has reportedly claimed the agreement would soon expire.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023