A parliamentarian panel on Thursday sought an explanation from Sindh Engineering Limited for creating doubtful trade debt of Rs 26.011 million. The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) sub-committee on Thursday informed that trade debt stood at Rs 26.870 million as on June 30, 2004 against Rs 27.478 million as on June 30, 2003. The gross amount included provision of Rs 26.011 million from doubtful debt, carried over from the preceding years on account of Automobile Corporation of Pakistan (ACP) Rs 17.306 million, New Dawn Autos (0.804 million) and others (Rs 7.901 million).
Audit officials pointed out that audit was not provided the inquiry report undertaken by Ministry of Production in pursuance of PAC directive on the ground that audit was not authorised to ask for an inquiry report from ministry. In previous meetings of PAC, the ministry was directed to enquire into the matter and fix responsibility and report be submitted to the panel. Convener Committee, Syed Naveed Qamar kept pending the audit paras as secretary Ministry for Industries and Productions did not attend the meeting. Naveed Qamar directed the ministry to come up with the inquiry report as someone attempted to cover the whole case wrongly.
In one case, management of Pakistan Industrial Technical Assistance Center (PITAC), Lahore paid a sum of Rs 2.69 million to M/s Systex during 2002-03 for establishing PITAC Information Technology Center to impart computer training. Audit observed that approval of board of governor and the Ministry was not obtained. Scrutiny of record revealed that PITAC, Lahore purchased a 1300 CC Toyota Corolla Car no. LXA 6135 in September 1996 and incurred expenditure of Rs 624,000 on the purchase in spite of ban on purchase of cars. Therefore, expenditure incurred on the purchase of car is held as irregular. The ministry failed to get regularised the audit objection from Finance Division after 19 years.
The committee also showed concerns over missing of some record of Ministry for Industries and Production essential for audit. The committee directed the ministry to recompile the record and present to the audit. The ministry surrendered four diplomatic cars to the custom authorities to arrange their disposal on September 21, 2000 but the correspondence revealed that the department could not realise the amount from customs authorities even after a lapse of more than three years. The ministry stated that the department would trace out the record and thereafter position would be reported. The committee directed to explain its position in 30 days with relevant record.