ISLAMABAD: The revelation made before the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) Subcommittee that supplementary grant of billions of rupees of the Power Division were spent on payment of penalty and damages to the Turkish company due to suo motu notice taken by ex-Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry with regard to KARKEY Rental power company.
The PAC Subcommittee was informed that so far over $100 million has been paid as the penalty to Turkish Rental Power Company KARKEY. The PAC Subcommittee meeting was held with the chair of its Convener Senator Sherry Rehman in which the audit paras related to the Power Division for the financial year 2015-16 were examined.
Senator Sherry Rehman expressed her strong annoyance on it saying that why the nation pays on the decision of ex-Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry based on his ego. During the meeting, the Audit officials told the Subcommittee that the original budget of the Power Division was about Rs43 billion while the Power Division also availed the supplementary grant of Rs24 billion in 2014-15.
The PAC Subcommittee Convener, Senator Sherry Rehman, remarked that it means that half of the budget was also taken in the shape of supplementary grants. The Department of the Auditor General of Pakistan suggested for the approval of the supplementary grant.
Senator Sherry Rehman remarked that how is it possible that the half of budget was availed through supplementary grants and without the approval of parliament. “It was bad exercise of the Finance Ministry to get the supplementary grants,” she remarked.
Joint Secretary Ministry of Finance told the Subcommittee of PAC that the mechanism of the giving supplementary grants was liberal during the period 2014-15 but after the Supreme Court decision on the supplementary grants in 2018 these were to the cabinet through Economic Coordination Committee of the Cabinet for approval.
Senator Sherry Rehman questioned that whether the Finance Ministry was not answerable before parliament. “Half of the budget was get through supplementary grants, which has been spent and now why the committee settle this amount,” she remarked.
The Secretary Water Division told the Subcommittee of PAC that the supplementary grants were taken for the case of rental power company as Turkish were annoyed for not purchasing the power as per agreement. “Now were paying over $100 million as a penalties,” the secretary, Water Division told the committee.
Senator Sherry Rehman remarked that so Pakistan was paying the price of the decisions of Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry. “The audit para of such a huge amount never be settle,” she said.
She remarked that Pakistan was facing a loss of over Rs600 billion and where is Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry now, and who will make him accountable. “Those who closed down KARKEY were not accountable and huge amount of the country wasted due to judicial activism,” she remarked and added that the Finance Ministry have also problem with her bill on the supplementary grants.
While examining another audit para, the audit officials told the PAC Subcommittee that Power Purchasing Agency owes Rs150 billion to Wapda. The Secretary Water Division told the committee that government also owes Rs180 billion to Wapda which were not paid yet to it.
Senator Sherry Rehman has expressed strong annoyance on the absence of the Power Division secretary and directed that if he did not come in the next meeting then notice be served on him and the privilege motion will also be moved against hm.
