Failure to audit accounts in last 10 years: PAC summons SC registrar

ISLAMABAD: Taking notice of the Supreme Court not auditing its accounts in the last 10 years, the Public Accounts Committee has summoned the Registrar of the apex court after Eid.

It also ordered the seizure of all records of the Gun and Country Club, Islamabad, for not auditing its accounts and ordered the removal of the head of the club, Naeem Bukhari.

The Public Accounts Committee was presided over by Chairman Noor Alam Khan in which the audit paras related to the Ministry of Inter-Provincial Coordination (IPC) for the financial year 2021-22 were examined. The chairman PAC said no audit para of the Supreme Court of Pakistan has come before the committee in the last 10 years and directed to summon the registrar of the Supreme Court.

Similarly, while examining the audit objections of the Gun and Country Club, Noor Alam Khan inquired about the head of the club and was told by Secretary IPC that Naeem Bukhari was appointed Administrative Officer of the Gun and Country Club by the Supreme Court.

Highlighting the audit objection of billions of rupees, the chairman PAC said the law had been violated and asked why the audit of the club was never conducted.

The chairman also questioned the SC’s authority to appoint an administrator or head of any institution or club and recommended the immediate removal of Naeem Bukhari from the position and the withdrawal of his vehicle, fuel card and all other privileges. “Bukhari is working as an administrator for the past many years but neither the club was audited nor any of its records were provided,” Noor remarked. The PAC directed the FIA and NAB to obtain the financial records of the club.

Officials of the Ministry of Inter-Provincial Coordination told the committee that initially it was developed as a shooting range for the South Asian Games but later it was converted into a Gun and Country Club. They told the committee that Lt-General (retd) Arif Hasan had taken funds from the government for the club. The secretary Ministry of Inter-Provincial Coordination further informed the committee that the legal framework of the club has been prepared and approval of the laws is awaited from the federal cabinet. The PAC directed to investigate the whole matter and submit a report after Eid.

The Public Accounts Committee also expressed its displeasure over Chairman Pakistan Cricket Board Management Committee Najam Sethi for not attending the meeting. PAC member Rohail Asghar said that the chairman of PCB seems to consider himself an elite who is beyond accountability.

Chairman PAC Noor Alam Khan said that the PAC had asked CDA for the details of the plots given to judges, MPs, federal cabinet members, NA and Senate staff but they had not submitted them to the PAC as yet. The committee reprimanded the chairman of CDA for not acting on the directives.

Noor Alam Khan said that the PAC had also asked for the list of apartment owners of One Constitution Avenue and their money trail for buying these flats. “Tell us the name of bureaucrats, judges, generals and politicians who bought apartments in One Constitution Avenue. Also, find out from where they got the money to buy the apartment,” he directed.

The Ministry of Housing told the PAC that there were 200 flats on One Constitution Avenue.

During the meeting, the PAC members expressed their concern over the death of former religious affairs minister Mufti Abdul Shakoor in a traffic accident. The chairman PAC said that Mufti Shakoor’s car was hit but the airbags did not open. The PAC summoned the representatives of all major car manufacturing companies and also decided to invite Defence Minister Khawaja Asif and officials of the Ministry of Industry and Production.

The chairman PAC said that car manufacturers would be asked about the non-availability of safety features, including airbags, in vehicles.

PAC member Rohail Asghar said that the accused who hit Mufti Abdul Shakoor will get bail in 8 days. “The justice system in Pakistan is outdated,” he said, adding his car also had met with an accident and the airbags did not open.

The audit officials told the PAC that currently, 252 officers are staying in Federal Lodges for many years of whom 150 got stay orders from the courts.

Secretary Ministry of Housing said that officers posted from other cities are given accommodation in Federal Lodges for one year and if they do not find accommodation, the arrangement is extended for another 6 months. The PAC directed the Ministry of Housing to get the Federal Lodges vacated immediately.