Another interesting aspect of the affair is the role of the Advisor to the Prime Minister on Institutional Reforms, Dr Ishrat Husain. The Cabinet Division's notification was contrary to the promises and commitments Dr Husain had extended to the AGP office in May 2019 that its constitutional status will be protected. Now Dr Husain is saying the Cabinet Division's notification was indeed an error that would be rectified. There seems to be a wide gulf between what Dr Husain has been saying and what the Cabinet Division is embarked upon. It is bizarre that the Advisor on Institutional Reforms seems to have been left whistling in the wind while the government of which he is an important part, and particularly the Cabinet Division, have chosen to ignore him. Another question that arises is about the functioning of this government. Surely they inherited a plethora of seasoned and experienced civil servants who would be in a position to point out the constitutional status of the AGP office and its role as the auditor and financial watchdog over all governments and state institutions. If such advice was available and indeed rendered, it too has been ignored a la Dr Husain. Where this confused blundering will lead is not clear, but it bodes ill for the audit of government and state institutions' finances.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2020