No accountant body in Pakistan is paying "meeting attendance fee" to nominated members by Ministry of Finance except Institute of Cost and Management Accountants of Pakistan (ICMAP), said Ali Latif, member Institute of Chartered Accountants of Pakistan (ICAP).
While talking to Business Recorder Ali Latif said that that ICAP is not paying to nominated members by ministry of finance in the head of meeting attendance fees but Institute of Cost and Management Accountants of Pakistan (ICMAP) has sanctioned "meeting attendance fee" for members nominated by ministry of finance in its National Council (NC) first time in the history of institution.
According to the sources completely ignoring the national austerity drive being pushed by the government and overlooking the financial situation in the institution, ICMAP management has approved Rs50,000 as a meeting attendance fee for government nominated member who is officer of BPS 19 and BPS 20 in each meeting. Above BPS 20 officer will receive Rs75,000 per meeting. Unsavory move came despite the fact that the all government nominated members have already been enjoying upscale hotel accommodation, air ticket and luxurious meals during all days of sessions of meeting.
Newly-introduced monetary benefits have come at a time when inquiries of fiscal irregularities, financial indiscipline and mismanagements are underway in FIA. Sources in the FIA also told Business Recorder that inquiry is under way against ICMAP for purchasing a land in Faisalabad for the construction of campus.
According to the details a case was also lodged with the FIA in September 2017 after submission of inquiry/facts finding report but the case is still pending. Sources said that the latest development for payment of meeting participation fee out of proportion can be a bid to win favour of the government nominated members to dump the case permanently.