Ministry fails to recover Rs21 million from disqualified MPs

ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs has not yet been able to recover Rs21.432 million from three ex-parliamentary secretaries who were disqualified as MPs by the Supreme Court for possessing dual nationalities.

The ministry admitted that letters and reminders were sent to Cap (R) Rai Ghulam Mujtaba Kharal (PML-Q), Begum Shahnaz Sheikh (PML-Q) and Farhat Muhammad Khan (MQM) after the SC order but to no avail.
According to the annual report of the Auditor General of Pakistan, the SC vide orders dated 20.09.2012, 12.11.2012 and 21.03.2013 disposed of Petition No 5 of 2012 and disqualified a number of parliamentarians under Article 63(1)(C) of the Constitution as they had made false declarations before the Election Commission of Pakistan while filing their nomination papers. The ECP also de-notified the names of the parliamentarians.
The audit observation reads, “The Supreme Court of Pakistan directed five members of Parliament to refund all monetary benefits drawn by them for the period during which they occupied the public office and had drawn their emoluments, etc from the public exchequer including monthly remunerations, TA/DA, facilities of accommodation along with other perks. The amount so recovered from all of them shall be deposited in the public exchequer within a period of two weeks.
The Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs paid salaries, allowances, accommodation and other perks and privileges etc amounting to Rs21.432 million to the following disqualified parliamentary secretaries. Cap (R) Rai Ghulam Mujtaba Kharal (from 26-07-2008 to 16-03-2013) was paid Rs116,08122. Begum Shahnaz Sheikh (01-12-2011 to 17-09-2012) was paid Rs231,1274 and Farhat Muhammad Khan (08-04-2010 to 17-07-2011) was paid Rs751,2200.”
Audit observed that management of Parliamentary Affairs Division had failed to recover the amount from above ex-parliamentary secretaries. Audit was of the view that non-recovery of monetary benefits was violation of the orders of the Supreme Court and deprived the government of its due receipt.
The report further says that the management replied that in the light of a short order of the Supreme Court a letter and subsequent reminder was issued to Capt (R) Rai Ghulam Mujtaba Kharal, Begum Shahnaz Sheikh and Farhat Muhammad Khan for refund of monetary benefits but no reply had been received so far as the matter was sub-judice. The management had accepted the view point of audit, the AGP’s report adds.