A subcommittee of the PAC wondered why the vehicles were acquired in contravention of a ban on such purchases in place at that time, although the SAARC Summit for which they were intended, had been cancelled beforehand.
By Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD: Scheduled to be held at Islamabad in November 2016, the 19th SAARC Summit never took place. But the then government, headed by former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif went ahead and purchased 33 vehicles intended for protocol duty during the prospective summit, spending PKR 1.44 billion.
The matter caused controversy at a meeting of a subcommittee of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of the Parliament on Friday when it surfaced that the transaction took place in contravention of a ban by the Ministry of Finance that was in place on such purchases at that time.
Held under the chairmanship of Mushahid Hussain Syed the PAC subcommittee meeting reviewed audit reports of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for fiscal years 2017-18 and 2018-19.
According to the audit report, vehicles worth PKR 1.44 billion were purchased by the Pakistani mission in Berlin despite the ban of the Ministry of Finance. The Acting Foreign Secretary said that these vehicles were purchased for the 19th SAARC Summit.
Mushahid Hussain Syed noted that the Summit was cancelled before October 2016. He was askance as to why the purchase still went ahead after the summit itself was cancelled.
The Acting Foreign Secretary said that the purchase of vehicles was authorised by the Prime Minister and ECC in 2016, and that 21 of the vehicles are still with the Prime Minister’s Office.
He said the case was sent to the National Accountability Bureau during the tenure of former Prime Minister Imran Khan. NAB officials told the committee that no element of corruption was found in the deal.
Syed said that it is illegal to spend billions of rupees on vehicles in view of the country’s economic conditions. Ramesh Kumar Vankwani said that the amount should be recovered from the then Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.
During the meeting, it was revealed that PKR 173 million were paid extra as allowance to 79 officers in the headquarters of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and missions abroad.
The PAC expressed concern over the additional payment. Acting Foreign Secretary said that recovery is being done from the said officers.
During the meeting, the audit officials said that the officers of the Pakistani mission in America were paid an illegal amount of 2.7 million rupees in the form of furniture allowance.
Eleven officers of the mission were paid USD 24,675 in furniture against the rules.
PAC disposed of the audit objection. According to the audit report, an amount of PKR. 8.3 million was paid to the officers of the foreign missions against the law in the name of TA/DA, in Istanbul, Canberra and Sofia; and that the sums paid irregularly were yet to be recovered.
Officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that some officers are retiring soon and will be recovered in the form of pension. The subcommittee directed to dispose of the audit objection if the recoveries are completed.
The issue of illegal cash payments of PKR 5.7 million to Pakistani missions by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was also taken into consideration.
Audit officials said that according to the law, an amount exceeding PKR 5,000 cannot be paid in cash. Such an amount can only be paid in the form of a cross cheque.
Officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that PKR 5,000 is a very small amount in other currencies, and that they sought permission to increase the limit to USD 500 in view of the difficulties the limit caused in the transaction of day-to-day business.
The subcommittee recommended to the Ministry of Finance to pay up to USD 500 in cash to the foreign missions.
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